Hardware Dumping in Africa
“As the Global North advances, Africa bears the burden of e-waste dumping, highlighting the need for sustainable practices and global cooperation to achieve environmental justice and technological equity.”
In the relentless march of technology and innovation, the developed regions of the world, often referred to as the 'Global North,' continue to dominate. As these powerhouses forge ahead, a darker narrative unfolds in less developed regions, particularly in Africa.
This paper aims to examine the practice of hardware dumping in Africa and how developed countries often see the Global South as their dumping grounds. By shedding light on the environmental and ethical implications of these actions, we seek to provide a comprehensive understanding of the intersection between geopolitics, AI, and IT asset disposition, highlighting the need for sustainable and ethical practices in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
By focusing on Africa as a primary case study, this paper aims to highlight how ethical ITAD practices and stringent enforcement of international e-waste regulations can transform the current narrative of environmental injustice into one of sustainable development and technological equity.
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What's Inside
Key takeaways from the white paper.
The world generated a record 57.4M metric tons of e-waste in 2021 (up from 53.6M in 2019).
In 2019, Ghana and Nigeria alone received 77% of e-waste exports from England and Wales.
Europe exports ~352,474 metric tons of e-waste annually to developing countries, often under the guise of "donations."
Despite generating only 2.9M MT of its own e-waste, Africa has become a primary dumping ground for the Global North.
Agbogbloshie (Ghana) was ranked among the top 10 most toxic threats globally before its 2021 demolition; legacy continues in informal sites.
The Basel and Bamako Conventions exist to protect the Global South — but weak enforcement undermines them. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is part of the path forward.
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Hardware Dumping in Africa
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