Information and communication technologies (ICTs) and ... - ITU

For example, aluminium has been dubbed ‘liquid electricity’. Ghana may be able to do more in the area of
recycling aluminium, especially from the electronics industry. As an example, it is estimated that the energy
saved by recycling one aluminium drink container could be used to operate a TV set for 3 hours, and is the
equivalent to almost 2 litres of petrol 98 . One of the industry's main incentives for recycling has been the
reduced amount of energy it takes to produce one tonne of secondary aluminium compared with one tonne
of primary aluminium. This involves a saving of 95 per cent of the energy required to produce molten
aluminium from bauxite 99 .
Electronic equipment also contains, in aggregate, significant quantities of gold, and other rare metals which
can also be recovered for re-use, thus reducing some of the GHG emissions associated with mining of gold.
A ‘cradle-to-cradle’ or ‘closed loop’ approach to manufacture and recycling is becoming increasingly
widespread with China taking the lead by producing legislation in this area. It has been recognised that
recovering the materials from e-waste is beneficial in many ways: less landfill; less hazardous waste to cause
human and environmental problems; less resource depletion; re-using the materials is less energy intensive
than extraction and processing of raw materials. This last point is particularly relevant to this report which
addresses how Ghana’s GHG emissions can be reduced.
Suggested action: The EPA together with MoC or other appropriate agency in Ghana should consider,
and if necessary promote, legislation on a ‘cradle to cradle’ or ‘closed loop’ approach to manufacture
and recycling.
Recycling or disposal of e-waste contributes to GHG emissions because energy is required to transport the
ICTs to waste sites and to reprocess it. To maximise the environmental benefit, e-waste should be recycled
efficiently by expert reprocessing units. An example of bad practice in Ghana is where ICT circuit boards or
transformers are currently burned to extract electronic components or copper. Without proper controls,
GHGs and toxins enter the environment causing pollution of the atmosphere and water supplies and the
contamination of land.
Ghana is preparing an e-waste management policy which should become law in 2012. Ghana’s Energy 76
Commission has also recently taken moves to ban used refrigerators and air-conditioners from coming into
the country from 1 January 2013 which will reduce electronic waste (e-waste). Ghana wants to use state-ofthe-art
ICT technology, and does not want to be sent electronic products “for re-use” which are more than
three years old. However, it is self-evident that any electronic equipment currently in use in Ghana, or
manufactured/imported in future, will in time become e-waste.
Suggested action: The MoC in cooperation with EPA in Ghana should promote legislation to ban the
import of e-waste more effectively as it may contain unknown and unspecified toxins.
Suggested action: Ghana lacks an effective infrastructure for handling e-waste. The EPA and the MoC or
other appropriate agency in Ghana should take a lead role in setting one up.
Suggested action: The principle of producer responsibility (producer pays to clean up waste) should be
applied in Ghana to help to minimise e-waste streams. New legislation is required in this area. The EPA
and MoC are in a position to advise on the drafting of this legislation.
It is understood that the Ghanaian Government is addressing the problem of the management of e-waste,
with the legislation expected in 2012. Consideration also needs to be given by policy-makers or advisors,
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