The “kupper chain” and Agbogbloshie burning ...

.... may be killing us

For some time now, copper ornaments such as bracelets and necklaces (Kupper chains) have become a profitable industry in Ghana. Our old telephone lines have all been brought down and the copper wires stolen for use in this trade. Some people have even made attempts at our high voltage electricity lines for the same purpose at the peril of their lives.

Now in the famous and overpopulated Agbogbloshie market in Accra lies an outdoor recycling operation where used computers, printers, CD boom boxes and other material are recycled by burning to extract copper, gold and other useful material for many purposes including the “Kupper” ornaments. The site is reported to be the largest center for electronic waste (e-waste) recycling and disposal in Ghana

As expected, much of the waste electronics found there is SHIPPED IN CONTAINERS FROM EUROPE, and as usual, we have allowed our country to become the dumping grounds for Europe’s toxic waste.

But the economic reality lies behind the toxic burning. Computers are filled with costly copper wires that need to be stripped of their plastic sheathing. The easiest way to do this is to set fire to the electronics items. Now the site has been found to have EXTENSIVE LEAD CONTAMINATON IN BOTH AMBIENT AIR AND TOPSOIL. This burning is a serious source of environmental pollution and cause of cancer and brain damage.

This outdoor burning at the market is also poisoning thousands of people who work and live there as well as many more of the city's over 2 million people downwind of the smoke. The city's largest outdoor food market also lies directly in the path of the smoke. Because of the urban nature of this site as well as the large adjacent food distribution market, the potential for human health impact is substantial both for the workers and the local residents. It is estimated that more than 1000 young people depend on the recycling market for income and livelihood.

It has been reported that names, passwords, bank accounts and other information that could be used for fraud and theft have been recovered from the hard drives of this computers thus fueling the “SAKAWA” fraud and theft. But the most shocking aspect of the enterprise is the large levels of toxic lead, arsenic and other substances released into the soil and air. Lead have been found to cause neurological, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular damage. Exposure to high levels of chromium has also been shown to increase chances of developing lung cancer. It has been reported that Lead has serious, long-term health consequences such as the potential to impair cognitive development in children and cause mental retardation. Scientific research on health effects estimates a loss of five to eight IQ points per child and an incidence of mild mental retardation in six out of every 1,000 children exposed to lead contamination. In order words, children exposed to lead will become very very stupid.

It should be noted that recycling and disposing of e-waste in high-income countries is relatively more expensive and difficult due to more stringent regulations. Some of the e-waste that is deemed obsolete by developed countries is still of use to nations in the developing world like Ghana which accept e-waste items as second-hand donations.

The shipment of e-waste falls under the regulation of the Basel Convention, which is an international treaty to control the transportation of hazardous waste. But companies use a loophole in the treaty that allows for the shipment of second-hand donations as a way to also ship unusable items that will end up in landfills or scrap yards, accounting for 75% of what is shipped.

Dr. Caravanos and his co-workers have reported that the E-waste products in Ghana contain intricate blends of plastics and chemicals, which when not properly handled can be harmful to people and the environment. “In developing countries such as Ghana, where e-waste is dismantled and recycled by hand and burning, harmful chemicals and plastics are introduced into the environment via water, air and soil”. The population around the recycling site are exposed to harmful chemicals such as heavy metals, PAHs and inorganic acids, which have the potential for long-term and serious health risks. The people are also exposed to dust via inhalation, ingestion and dermal (teeth) contact, which may contain harmful levels of heavy metals.

As usual, as of today, Ghana has no regulations for recycling and disposing of e-waste and does not enforce any regulations for the air, water and soil quality. Can you imagine that?

Studies have shown that toxic waste sites are damaging children and impairing the health of millions of people in the developing world including Ghana. These toxins and pollutants in the environment are major sources of illness and reduced life spans. The impacts on health in some countries are on par with malaria. In one-study researchers found elevated levels of lead, chromium and other chemicals in soil and water samples near 373 toxic waste sites in three developing countries. In those countries researchers calculated that the likely impact from diseases caused by exposure to these chemicals amounted to 828,722 lost years due to ill health, disability or early death. Malaria in the same countries caused 725,000 lost years of full health.

More than 1,000 young people depend on the recycling market in Agbogloshie for income and millions in the nearby market are exposing themselves, their neighbors and future generations to health hazards. In Ghana, toxic sites “fly under the radar” in terms of public health awareness and action. Little research has been done on the health impacts of chemical pollutants in the country and we crave for “Kupper” chains every day.

Nobody want to say it but in Ghana toxic sites are a major public health problem that is hiding in plain sight and no government has seen it. Meanwhile, doctors who are supposed to take care of the health needs of Ghanaians are perennially on strike for gold and honey and anything in between. Our health care systems have become “sick care” systems. No preventive care is taking place. Citizens have to wait until one gets very very sick before one can see a doctor. And AMA bosses in Accra and the government in the Golden Stool House are doing NOTHING. By the time, the effect of these e-waste dumping and the associated environmental pollution start extracting their toll it may be too late to save the future of the future generations.

But the good news is, we will have a lot of Kupper chains and thriving SAKAWA business.

Kwame Yeboah

gyeboah@harding.edu