DAKAR, Senegal - Greenpeace called on the world's electronics companies Tuesday to eliminate hazardous chemicals from their products, saying toxic waste from wealthy nations' gadgets ends up being dumped in poor countries despite laws prohibiting it.
Ghana , where discarded TVs and computers that contain toxic materials are being dismantled by children as young as 5. "Unless companies eliminate all hazardous chemicals from their electronic products and take responsibility for the entire life cycle of their products, this poisonous dumping will continue," said Martin Hojsik, a Greenpeace campaigner. "Electronics companies must not allow their products to end up poisoning the poor around the world." Many of the old computers, monitors and television sets that end up in Ghana come from the European Union , despite laws there prohibiting the export of such hazardous materials, Greenpeace said. In particular, the report cited shipments from Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands — as well as Korea.
Full Story: Greenpeace cites rising e-waste in Africa (AP)
Ghana , where discarded TVs and computers that contain toxic materials are being dismantled by children as young as 5. "Unless companies eliminate all hazardous chemicals from their electronic products and take responsibility for the entire life cycle of their products, this poisonous dumping will continue," said Martin Hojsik, a Greenpeace campaigner. "Electronics companies must not allow their products to end up poisoning the poor around the world." Many of the old computers, monitors and television sets that end up in Ghana come from the European Union , despite laws there prohibiting the export of such hazardous materials, Greenpeace said. In particular, the report cited shipments from Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands — as well as Korea.
Full Story: Greenpeace cites rising e-waste in Africa (AP)
