Assessment of Health Status and Effects of Exposure to Chemicals at Agbogbloshie E-waste Site
This study was sponsored by Pure Earth (Black Smith Institute) based in New York City and carried out by GreenAd working with the Ghana Health Service, Ghana Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and a team from Hunters College, New York. This included the determination of exposure levels of chemicals by collecting and analysing air and soil samples at Agbogbloshie.
This was an exploratory cross-sectional study that was carried out at two sites in Accra; namely Agbogbloshie where e-waste dumping and recycling activities occur and the Makola market which is generally free of e-waste dumping and recycling activities.
The overall objective of the study was to assess and describe the health status and extent of exposure of handlers of e-waste to the chemicals associated with electronic waste. Specifically, the study aimed:
- To determine knowledge, perceptions and practices in relation to health risks associated with exposure to e-waste recycling among e-waste handlers at Agbogbloshie;
- To describe the general state of health of the population of workers at Agbogbloshie who are involved in e-waste recycling; and
- To determine body burden of chemicals comprising heavy metals and trace elements among people involved in e-waste recycling at Agbogbloshie.