Digital dumping occurs when remnants of phones, computers and other devices 'expire usability' and this electronic waste - e-waste - is transported and discarded in developing nations such as Ghana, Nigeria, Pakistan, India and regions of China. However, majority of European waste is dumped in Ghana of all other nations involved. The ‘dumping’ is substantially implemented by European first world countries as “85% of containers illicitly arriving in Ghana with electrical goods came from Europe.” - WGBH Educational Foundation

 

What Europe needs is a legitimate recycling system; an ethical option where equipment is disassembled and basic components - plastic, glass, and metals - are recovered to manufacture new products, thus benefiting the manufacturing companies as well. However, the onslaught of unwanted goods replaced by new models has increased due to more European technology consumers expecting high-end lifestyles; an attitude that increases the severity of the dumping. From the European Council’s perspective, the cheapest option is to transport waste to third world countries – often under the guise of philanthropy – at a third of the price of proper recycling. The government must take responsibility for these harmful practices that are undertaken by their countries’ companies.

 

The dumping of e-waste has destructive consequences on human and natural environments. Burning of the toxic by-products of e-waste such as beryllium, mercury, and brominated flame retardants causes life-threatening health implications in poverty-stricken communities. These toxic by-products have also polluted the air and contaminated soil, while local water from wells have become hazardously undrinkable, wreaking havoc upon natural resources these communities have relied on for centuries. Children as young as nine scavenge dumpsites to search for valuable iron and copper; others burn devices in sweatshops for their trace-elements while inhaling lethal chemicals. Because of this, “82% of the Ghana population have serious lead poisoning” (WGBH Educational Foundation). The amount of e-waste currently shipped to third-world countries is predicted to “increase by 500% in the next decade” (WGBH Educational Foundation). Therefore, the practice must be eradicated immediately before it escalates into something we cannot as easily reduce; before it’s too late.

 

This problem is an ethical issue which violates human rights. The practice contradicts the UN’s Millennium Development Goal 7, which has been signed by the European Union, and aims to ensure environmental sustainability. Target 7C to “halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation” is being directly violated through digital dumping. In addition to this, according to the DIRECTIVE 2012/19/EU in 1.2, WEEE’s aim is “to preserve, protect and improve the quality of the environment, to protect human health and to utilize natural resources prudently and rationally.” This is not being met.

Therefore, the action we request is to develop a Europe-wide recycling scheme whereby appliance collection services are offered free of charge to consumers. The cost of recycling the electronic product will be included in the initial purchase price called the Advance Recycling Fee (ARF). This option has had proven results in Switzerland and several states in Canada such as Alberta.

The ARF is used to pay for the collection, the transport and the recycling of the disposed appliances. The minimum to charge is 0.80 euros on small items such as hairdryers and electric shavers to up to 16.50 euros for TVs or 33.10 euros for refrigerators.

Janez Potocnik, the European Commissioner for Environment and the rest of the Environmental Commission in the European Union must ensure Europe does not allow this devastating practice to continue. The people of Ghana are paying with their lives.

 

Fix the problem you created.