tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6956717416810052129.post3542881887761142403..comments2020-12-27T11:13:53.134-05:00Comments on Good Point: Ethical Electronics, Recycling "e-Waste" Blog: EU E-Waste Policy: White Knights Seeking Middle Ground On a Slippery Slope (Part A)Robinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17669077665223573133noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6956717416810052129.post-73848563679863699252014-04-22T06:01:25.427-04:002014-04-22T06:01:25.427-04:00Great to hear you are visiting Ghana. We have som...Great to hear you are visiting Ghana. We have some WR3A members who live there or are from there.<br /><br />Agblo is the "morgue" of the electronics hospital. What you should do is take up the total denominator of imports to Ghana from one of the UN studies, in units per month imported, and try to account for that number. <br /><br />In July 2012 I wrote three blogs titled "Defining E-Waste Racism". Part two was an attempt to contrast "fly and buy", Africans who come to Europe to buy used electronics, whom Interpol labelled as "waste tourists". You will be another type of "waste tourist". Not an insult. Just an attempt at equality.<br />http://retroworks.blogspot.com/2012/07/defining-e-waste-racism-part-2-fly-and.html<br /><br />You should also introduce yourself to Eric Prempeh, our Good Point tech, who's from Ghana, and Dr. Lepawsky's researcher Grace Akese.Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17669077665223573133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6956717416810052129.post-39331215266974902802014-04-22T05:28:53.227-04:002014-04-22T05:28:53.227-04:00I'm actually planning my first trip to Agbogbl...I'm actually planning my first trip to Agbogbloshie in a month from now. I admit I have a view constructed by documentaries and journal articles, but I will complement that with a 6-week stay.<br /><br />Fire, whether easy or not, is one "tool" commonly used, and it's hazardous both for the environment and for the health of the workers. With the information I have, I don't consider that the recycling processes being carried out there are adequate.<br /><br />About the discards and waste definition I'm trying to find a common ground to discuss. If we have different definitions we might not understand each other. I also struggle defining it. The graph I tweeted is an attempt to understand the different points of view:<br />https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1ur5gE4LppkVkVQZMA1zDPdgSAcVM9OhPCbwjOHWrswE/edit?usp=drive_web<br /><br />I'm also enjoying the discussion and I appreciate we can have a friendly tone to continue with it. I'm willing to learn and I have a lot of questions ;)<br /><br /><br />boronathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09840765341382446698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6956717416810052129.post-15532400731879740002014-04-21T13:19:09.551-04:002014-04-21T13:19:09.551-04:00I agree it's a global issue. I believe that ...I agree it's a global issue. I believe that exports from the USA and EU are mostly good items, and that most of the bad items (at the dump) originate in country (Lagos had 6.9M households with TV in 2007)<br /><br />Most of Agbogbloshie pollution comes from automobile scrap. But I think the question is whether "fire" is "easy". Fire will not release lead from CRT. But most Agbogbloshie scrappers SELL the circuit boards. They can also sell the plastic. Wire burning is a problem, but most of the wire burned is from construction, cable lines torn from houses and buildings, little of it from imported e-scrap.<br /><br />Lepawsky shows most trade is either internal generated or between e.g. non-OECD and non-OECD (Bangladesh to China). I may misunderstand your question.<br /><br />I do not consider that if someone buys a device from me that I have "discarded" it. If they buy it and use it, and eventually discard it, then they have discarded it. <br /><br />The Nigeria E-Waste Assessment and Ghana E-Waste Assesment studies found 91% reuse and 85% reuse, respectively, from imports. Most of the informal scrapping is not from the 9% or 15% residuals, but is collected in cities like Accra and Lagos, or is brought and traded in for more recently imported material.<br /><br />We agree on formalizing and giving tools for proper recycling, and encouraging proper recycling methods. My position is that proper recycling in Africa is best financed by sales of used equipment from EU, USA and Japan - and increasingly from Chinese cities like Hong Kong. <br /><br />There is no evidence that 80% waste can be economically transported, and the original "source" of that statistic has retracted it.<br /><br />I enjoy the discussion and compliment you for being willing to listen and for inviting dialectic, it has been too rare.Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17669077665223573133noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6956717416810052129.post-48270186734984198382014-04-21T06:01:06.179-04:002014-04-21T06:01:06.179-04:00Thanks for this review (and the one upcoming). I h...Thanks for this review (and the one upcoming). I have several questions and comments:<br /><br />- I'm convinced that "electronics and environment", including e-waste, is a global issue. I don't see why you bring in EU vs USA perspectives.<br /><br />- If toxics are not "easily released", how do you explain the pollution in Agbogbloshie? Have you considered the plastic burning, leaded CRT dumping?<br /><br />- You rebute that e-waste is being dumped somewhere else from the countries where it was used. In my view, that's against Lepawsky's data. Where do you think it was being dumped then?<br /><br />- I think we should define what "waste" is before moving on. I'll tell you my definition: If it has been discarded, it's waste. It might be a resource AS WELL, but you can't say it's not waste. Therefore Ghana is receving waste.<br /><br />- Our statistics all show their source. Is there any source you find questionable?<br /><br />- Finally: if you think we're placing ourselves in a halfway position, you're missing the point. You might have embraced one end of the line, but what we're trying to do is to find a position "outside the box" of the current debate.<br /><br />Thanks again for your critics, and looking forward for the second part of them.<br />Rafa Fontboronathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09840765341382446698noreply@blogger.com