Transnational Trafficking of Hazardous Waste from Developed to Developing Nations: Policies and Recommendations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18192/riss-ijhs.v3i1.1447Keywords:
E-waste, transnational trafficking, policy, West AfricaAbstract
Transnational trafficking of e-waste has become a rising problem over time as the amount of waste produced in developed countries increases. Over time, the focus has moved from traditional industrial waste disposal to e-waste disposal. This acceptance of hazardous waste often leads to adverse health effects in the importing nation. As a case study, the history, consequences, current policies, and recommendations for hazardous waste trafficking are considered in the context of West Africa. Following the analysis, it is clear that despite strong policies on the importers part, there are confounding factors, such as economic expansion and corruption, which continue to drive the import of e-waste. Therefore, the recommendations are addressed to exporting nations which generally have well-developed economies, political systems, and technology thus increasing the likelihood of control over the situation.
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Frazzoli, C., Orisakwe, O. E., Dragone, R., & Mantovani, A. (2010). Diagnostic health risk assessment of electronic waste on the general population in developing countries' scenarios. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 30 (6), 388-399. doi: 10.1016/j.eiar.2009.12.004
Gbadegesin, S. (2001). Multinational corporations, developed nations, and environmental racism: Toxic waste, exploration, and eco-catastrophe. In L. Westra & B. Lawson (Eds.), Faces of environmental racism: Confronting issues of global justice (2nd ed.) (pp. 187-188). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Greenemeier, L. (2009, October 29). U.S. lags behind world with its patchwork approach to curbing e-waste. Scientific American. Retrieved February 28, 2011, from http://www.scientificamerican.com/
Harmful Wastes (Special Criminal Provisions) Act No. 42 Chapter 165. (1988). Retrieved February 21, 2011, from faolex.fao.org/docs/texts/nig18377.doc
Lipman, Z. (2011). Trade in Hazardous Waste: Environmental Justice Versus Economic Growth [Web article]. Retrieved February 21, 2011, from http://ban.org/library/ lipman.html
Mason, B. (2006, October 24). Toxic waste dumping in Ivory Coast. World Socialist Web Site. Retrieved February 21, 2011, from http://www.wsws.org/
Musmeci, L., Bellino, M., Cicero, M. R., Falleni, F., Pic- cardi, A., & Trinca, S. (2010). The impact measure of solid waste management on health: The hazard index. Annali Dell'Istituto Superiore Di Sanita, 46(3), 293-298. doi: 10.4415/ANN_10_03_12
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). (2011). Endocrine Disruptors. Retrieved February 21, 2011, from http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/ topics/agents/endocrine/index.cfm
Onyenekenwa, C. E. (2011). Managing Nigeria’s environment: The unresolved issues. Journal of Environmental Science and Technology, 4(3), 250-263. doi: 10.3923/ jest.2011.250.263
Puckett, J., Byster, L., Westervelt, S., Gutierrez, R., Davis, S., Hussain, A., & Dutta, M. (2002). Exporting harm: The high-tech trashing of Asia. Retrieved from http://www.ban.org/E-waste/technotrashfinalcomp.pdf
Quan, D. (2011, February 7). Concerns arise after Canadian firms fined for illegal e-waste dumping overseas. The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved February 28, 2011, from http:// www.vancouversun.com/index.html
Sonak, S., Sonak, M., & Giriyan, A. (2008). Shipping hazardous waste: Implications for economically developing countries. International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics, 8(2), 143-159. doi: 10.1007/ s10784-0008-9069-3
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). (2009). Transnational trafficking and the rule of law in West Africa: A threat assessment, 55-59. Retrieved January 16, 2011, from http://www.unodc.org/documents/data -and-analysis/Studies/West_Africa_Report_2009.pdf
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). (1998). International trade in hazardous waste: An overview. Retrieved February 21, 2014, from http://nepis.epa.gov/Exe/ ZyPDF.cgi?Dockey=P1009YPK.PDF
Vir, A. (1989). Toxic trade with Africa. Environmental Science & Technology, 23(1), 23-25. doi: 10.1021/ es00178a600
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