THE DAMNED YARD
"Sodoma and Gomorra"
Accra, Ghana 2017
All rights reserved ©Romano Maniglia
THE DAMNED YARD
"Sodoma and Gomorra"
Accra, Ghana 2017
In the outskirts of Accra there is the biggest electronic waste disposal site in Africa, also called by the locals with the biblical name of “Sodoma and Gomorra”. This name has become synonymous with tons of e-waste that every day enter Accra’s harbor and accumulate in the lagoon.
According to recent estimations, so far more than 250 million tons of electronic waste have been thrown in the area of Agbogbloshie, mostly coming from European countries and the US. In this area, metals are obtained from electronic devices that no longer work. Sometimes such devices are repaired and then resold on the local second-hand market. “The Damned Yard” aims to shed light on the appalling working and living conditions in the area as well as the enormous environmental damages produced by the makeshift waste disposal.According to a study from the United Nations University, the levels of arsenic, cadmium and lead are particularly high in the area of Agbogbloshie and this causes significant damage to the water, the soil, the air and the health of people. This translates into a terrible environmental and health catastrophe that occurs every single day.
According to recent estimations, so far more than 250 million tons of electronic waste have been thrown in the area of Agbogbloshie, mostly coming from European countries and the US. In this area, metals are obtained from electronic devices that no longer work. Sometimes such devices are repaired and then resold on the local second-hand market. “The Damned Yard” aims to shed light on the appalling working and living conditions in the area as well as the enormous environmental damages produced by the makeshift waste disposal.According to a study from the United Nations University, the levels of arsenic, cadmium and lead are particularly high in the area of Agbogbloshie and this causes significant damage to the water, the soil, the air and the health of people. This translates into a terrible environmental and health catastrophe that occurs every single day.