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An e-waste dumping ground
Three photojournalists have created an in-depth report on electronic waste — its negative and ... positive ... consequences.
“But there are positive aspects of sending us e-waste,” he says, as it’s sparked a dynamic, informal recycling economy in the country that, while often dangerous, can also help lift people like Emmanuel Akatire out of poverty. So-called “pickers” sift through the soil at e-waste dumps to find small pieces of precious metals, like these iron and copper fragments that likely came from a burned electrical cable. E-waste workers — many of whom are children, the team found — are at risk of exposure to over 1,000 harmful chemicals, according to the World Health Organization, including lead, mercury and brominated flame retardants, which are linked to higher rates of diseases like cancer and diabetes.
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