Improving e-waste management in Ghana

Through recent years, Agbogbloshie in Ghana’s capital city Accra has received increasing public attention for being the world’s presumably largest dumpsite for waste from electrical and electronic equipment. Crude recycling techniques can in fact be observed throughout the entire country. Environmental pollution and adverse health impacts of improper e-waste recycling are dire.

The Hazardous and Electronic Waste Control and Management Act

In 2016, the Government of Ghana has made landmark achievements in curbing unsustainable e-waste management practices with the introduction of several legal instruments, among them the Hazardous and Electronic Waste Control and Management Act. In order to achieve effective implementation of the legal framework, a formalisation of informal workers is needed, a nation-wide collection mechanism needs to be established, trainings and capacity building programs as well as support for decision-makers are also key.

How did adelphi help to improve e-waste management in Ghana?

adelphi supported the improvement of the legal framework. Part of the problem is the often illegal influx of second-hand products from abroad which are often dysfunctional or become obsolete after a short period of time. Reaching the end of life, these products are predominantly managed by Ghana’s wide-spread informal sector.

Providing knowledge exchange and dialogue platforms all over Ghana

adelphi also arranged activities in order disseminate the results: policy dialogues, national conferences, as well as regional round table events and awareness raising workshops. And unlike previous projects, the focus was not only on the Greater Accra region with its famous dumpsite Agbogbloshie, but expanded to seven other Ghanaian regions, namely Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Western, Eastern, Central, Northern and Volta Regions.