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» SOLVING THE EWASTE PROBLEM

View profile Bryan ongum Bache 1 post --- Location: Buea Cameroon	20-04-2011 11:41 SOLVING THE EWASTE PROBLEM Dear member, Did you know that........ 1.Computers and other electronic materials (mobilephones,TV sets etc) have toxic metals such as mercury, leasd, nikel, gallium, germanium, palladium, beryllium, sellenium, arsenic? 2.90% of mercury, cadmium and lead contaminations in our waste streams come from comsumer electronics? On the other hand did you know that.... 1.A typical personal computer contains valuable metals such as gold, silver and copper? 2.A typical PC contains $6 worth of gold, $5 of copper and $1 of silver? 3.These ewastes are concerntrated most in urban areas where there is a large population of unskilled labourers who need jobs? Ruediger Kuehr of the United Nations University in Germany says “There’s more than gold in those mountains of high-tech scrap.” Our urban cities today are filled with heaps of scraps from non-functional IT equipments like computers, printers, computers, photocopiers, scanners etc. After graduation from the university I served as a volunteer with an NGO in Cameroon whose mission is bridging IT and education. We received refurbished computers from donors in developed countries and donate it to schools in Cameroon. This is in line with the initiative, the Digital Opportunity Task Force (DOT Force) launched by the G8 in 2000 and implemented by the UNDP to sponsor projects on ICT’s and calling on governments, private, civil societies, NGO’s communities and individuals to join in their own quota to help developing countries use ICT to compete successfully in the new global market as a means of alleviating poverty i.e. “bridging the digital divide” across the globe. Through this project we have opened many computer labs in many schools. These equipments though useful as they were had a very short life span.Today they are nothing but scrap. My objective is to give a third life to these computers after their second very useful life in Africa. Also trying to fight environmental degradation by the harmfulness caused by irresponsible discarding of them. These can also provide jobs for youths who would be involved in the whole process. So I have been looking for a serious partnership for development between me and institutions that are involved in recycling. Presently I don’t have accurate data of the e-waste situation in Cameroon, since it needs some finances to carry such a research, but it is already posing a serious environmental threat to our society. Any one who wants to be part of such a project can write through bachebry@gmail.com or sign my petion on www.care2.com petition name solving the ewaste problem. Thank you for going through this page hope to hear from you soon. Bryan Together,we are better heard

View profile Ezekiel Katato 41 posts --- Location: Kajiado Kenya	08-07-2011 08:24 Re: SOLVING THE EWASTE PROBLEM Oh! This is more worrying than interesting. This means we all live in danger. Your ideas are very important and they would not have come another time - We really need them now. Works directly with rural communities for empowerment, livelihood improvement, Peace, Promoting culture and Cultural tourism

View profile Misheck Mutuzana 3 posts --- Location: Mufulira Zambia	17-11-2011 14:06 Re: SOLVING THE EWASTE PROBLEM Dear Bryan, The concern about second hand or refurbished computers that are brought in Africa is a major concern especially in terms of health. We appreciate for these refurbished computers that are coming from the Western world because they have helped our pupils, teachers and the community to be computer literate. They have made work easier for teachers in schools. Teachers use computers to type tests for pupils, class management, make database for pupils etc.and pupils also use computers as a learning tool. Iam a computer/IT teacher who uses such devices and our school has benefited in getting the refurbished computers. The life span for these computers is very short. Hence when they stop working they just become shells in computer labs or rooms. How to dispose them and where to take them is not known. Do we have a company that dispose these computers near by? Regards Misheck Mutuzana ?The Lord is My Refuge? http://wikieducator.org/User:Mutuzana

» Environment

» SOLVING THE EWASTE PROBLEM