Some of the UK’s electronic waste that is meant to be recycled is being exported to Nigeria illegally, where items are being sold as second-hand goods, according to a Greenpeace report.
The environmental activist organization has exposed the practice in which the African nation has become one of the many destinations where the world’s toxic electronic waste is being shipped.
“Companies can stop this illegal toxic trade now by ensuring their goods are free from hazardous components. It is critical they take full responsibility for the safe recycling of their products and put an end to the growing e-waste dumps that are poisoning people and the environment across the developing world,” said international toxics campaigner Martin Hojsík.
Greenpeace has said that electronic items and components are shipped from the EU to developing countries daily, in spite of regulations that prohibit trading in e-waste. Some goods are repaired and reused, but many are dumped in countries that do not have safe recycling facilities.
In addition to countries in Europe, Japan, South Korea and the US are reported to be using developing nations, such as China, Ghana, India, Nigeria and Pakistan as dumping grounds for their toxic e-waste.
Thanks to www.computerweekly.com for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.
www.greenpeace.org
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