E3 Journal of Environmental Research and Management

E3 Journal of Environmental Research and Management Vol. 5 (4) pp. 071-080, April 2014; © E3 Journals; ISSN 2141-7466

Qualitative analysis of the presence of PBDE in ashes, soils and vegetables from Agbogbloshie e-waste recycling site

Abstract

This paper assesses qualitatively, the presence of PBDEs in ashes, soils and vegetables found at the Agbogbloshie e-waste recycling site in Accra, Ghana. The motivation for the study was not only because the area serves as a major food center of the city where vegetables are cultivated extensively but additionally, a place where informal e-waste recyclers incinerate wires to harvest copper for survival. The dilemma is how to ascertain the safety of foods coming from the area since vegetables for example, are known to be very susceptible to contamination by ubiquitous lipophilic organic compounds including PBDEs which can be health threatening. Moving beyond speculative considerations that have characterized prior reports, this paper employs the EI Gas chromatography mass spectrophotometric method to analyse the presence of PBDEs in the ashes, soils and vegetables found at the site. The intent is to contribute to the debate and literature on how livelihood strategies impact food security. The results confirm the presence of five different PBDEs (BDE- 1, BDE- 7, BDE- 28, BDE- 47, BDE- 99 or BDE- 100) in all the samples, indicating a propensity of the e-waste recycling activities to disrupt food coming from the area and possibly affect human health. The paper calls for a more comprehensive study that will help create a set of converging policies and strategies that can reconcile the need for access to livelihood strategies – such as e-waste recycling, despite its health and environmental risks – and the right to healthy working conditions, a clean environment and safe food in Accra.

Keywords: E-waste, Polybrominated diphenylethers, Environmental Hazards, Occupational Hazards, Food Security.