Open burning of e-waste: Recyclers, residents at risk of cancer, study shows

AGAIN, evidence from research has shown that persons involved in e-waste recycling in Nigeria are facing serious health risks associated with the crude methods they employ in the recycling process. Also, people living within the vicinity where e-waste materials are burnt in the open may be at risk of developing cancer due to carcinogenic substances released into the atmosphere.

Researchers from the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, in a recent study collected 150 surface soil samples randomly from five e-waste work areas in Aba, Abia State.

According to the researchers Chisom Obasi, Nkechi Okoye, Uche Ekpunobi and Rosemary Arinze of the Department of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, Faculty of Physical Sciences in the research titled “Distribution and Risk Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Contamination Arising from Uncontrolled Electronic Waste Recycling in Aba, Nigeria,”  the objective of the research was to study the level of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils and the potential human health and ecological risk assessed.

The concentration of the hydrocarbons in the samples were determined using gas chromatography and ionisation detector.

The results showed that soil samples from the sites where open burning was practised had high concentrations of carcinogenic hydrocarbons

The researchers said the results indicated that uncontrolled burning of plastic coated components of e-waste as technique to recover precious metals may portend imminent health hazard to the unprotected recycle workers and people living within the vicinities.