08/2014 Artist in Residence, Agbogbloshie e-waste dump

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We spent a couple of days at the Agbogbloshie e-waste dump which is currently the biggest e-waste dump worldwide. It serves as a final destination for legal and illegal exportation and environmental dumping of electronic waste from industrialized nations. Often referred to as a “digital dumping ground”, millions of tons of e-waste are processed each year in Agbogbloshie.

The dumping ground is quite centrally located in Accra.

We salvaged harddrives and will reanimate them in upcoming workshops for a new project we are working on.

Agbogbloshie e-waste dump, Accra, Ghana
young man burning cables to salvage the copper. wire strippers were introduced several years ago, still they remain very unpopular
Agbogbloshie e-waste dump, Accra, Ghana
in the bowl you see some copper wires, they are collected and then sold for around 8GHC, around 1.5€ (Aug14)
Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana
the digital dump is located in a lagoon, when it rains it gets flooded and washed in the sea.
Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana
what is not needed gets dumped on the ground.
Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana
Our guide Daniel showed us around the dump and helped us with our bulk purchase and price haggling.

Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana

 

Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana
unused pc-cases get filled up with other aluminium and sold
Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana
various scales are standing around the dump
Accra, Ghana
Le pleasure / Labadi beach in Accra after rainfall
Accra, Ghana
Le pleasure / Labadi beach after rain

 

Le pleasure / Labadi beach in Accra after rainfall
Le pleasure / Labadi beach in Accra after rainfall
Le pleasure / Labadi beach in Accra after rainfall
Le pleasure / Labadi beach in Accra after rainfall
Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana
people sit on old monitor cases and use primitive tools to crack up screens.
Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana
A really nice seller explaining me his business and what he collects and sells.
Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana
pile of monitors
Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana
the Agbogbloshie river

 

Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana

Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana
Linda found old PC harddrives in a container, ranging from 6GB-160GB, some were 18 years old
Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana
price haggling for the harddrives

Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana

Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana
you can buy motherboards per kilo

Andreas Zingerle, Linda Kronman, kairus.org, e-waste, electronic waste, ghana