Blacksmith Institute Journal of Health & Pollution Vol. 1, No. 1 — Feb 2011 16 Research 16 Background. It is estimated that 20-50 million tons of electric and electronic waste (e-waste) is generated per year of which 75-80% is shipped to countries in Asia and Africa for recycling and disposal. In these countries recycling of e-waste is performed with limited and oſten no environmental or worker health precautions. Activities at these sites oſten pose harmful threats in the form of soil pollution leading to contaminated water and food as well as air contaminants affecting the health of the workers and children at these sites. Objectives. In an effort to better understand the multitude of chemical releases at these sites, an assessment was conducted at a large e-waste recycling and disposal site located in the vicinity of Agbogbloshie Market in Accra, Ghana. Methods. Environmental (ambient) air samples and worker breathing zone samples were taken for selected metals. In addition, surface soil samples were collected throughout the site and analyzed for lead (Pb). Results. Personal air samples collected from workers and the environment revealed elevated levels for aluminum, copper, iron, lead and zinc. Of the 100 soil samples taken, more than half were above the US Environmental Protection Agency standard for lead in soil. Conclusions. e Agbogbloshie e-waste recycling/disposal site in Accra, Ghana revealed an area with extensive lead contamination in both ambient air and topsoil. Given the urban nature of this site e as well as the large adjacent food distribution market, the potential for human health impact is substantial both to workers and local residents. Keywords. Ghana, e-waste, recycling, risk-assessment, lead, worker exposure, hazardous waste, Africa, air sampling. J Health Pollution 1:16-25 (2011) Introduction Background and Significance e term e-waste describes electronic and electrical devices such as computers, cell phones, televisions and refrigerators that have outlived their useful life. Consumption and replacement of these computing and electrical goods in the developed world is quickly growing and as a result the lifespan of e-waste materials is quickly decreasing. 1 e need to dispose of or recycle this waste stream will become more important as the number of obsolete items increases. It is estimated that globally 20-50 million tons of e-waste is generated per year, representing 1-3% of the world’s municipal waste. 2, 3 Recycling and disposing of e-waste in high-income countries is relatively more expensive and difficult due to more stringent regulations. In countries where e-waste is regulated, producers are required to establish systems for collection and treatment of items generated, however, as stated in a study on e-waste recycling and disposal by Brigden, Labunska, Santillo and Johnston as much as 75% of items produced in the EU and 80% in the US go unaccounted. 2 Some of the e-waste that is deemed obsolete by developed countries is still of use to nations in the developing world which accept e-waste items as second-hand donations. e shipment of e-waste falls under the regulation of the Basel Convention, which is an international treaty to control the transportation of hazardous waste. 4 Companies use a loophole in the treaty that allows for the shipment of second- hand donations as a way to also ship unusable items that will end up in landfills or scrap yards, accounting for 75% of what is shipped. 3 E-waste products contain intricate blends of plastics and chemicals, which when not properly handled can be harmful to people and the environment. 5 In developing countries where e-waste is dismantled and recycled by hand, harmful chemicals and plastics are introduced into the environment via water, air and soil. Workers dismantling and burning the e-waste to retrieve valuable metals and other materials are exposed to harmful chemicals such as heavy metals, PAHs and inorganic acids, which have the potential for long-term and Assessing Worker and Environmental Chemical Exposure Risks at an e-Waste Recycling and Disposal Site in Accra, Ghana Jack Caravanos, 1 Edith Clark, 2 Richard Fuller, 3 Calah Lambertson 1 1 City University of New York, School of Public Health at Hunter College 2 Occupational and Environmental Health Department, Ghana Health Service, Ministry of Health, Accra, Ghana 3 Blacksmith Institute Corresponding Author: Professor Jack Caravanos, CIH EOHS Program Director CUNY School of Public Health 425 East 25th Street, NYC, NY 10010 USA (212) 481.7569 jcaravan@hunter.cuny.edu Caravanos et al.