ABSTRACT

Since 2016 Ghana has introduced several initiatives to formalise parts of the e-waste economy. This e-waste management system is based on the experiences, expert policy advice and partial funding from the Global North. Employing serial interviewing, we assess the rolling out of this formalisation pathway, the evolving e-waste management landscape and reflect on informal terrain’s reconstitution and remaining barriers, such as inadequate funding, low levels of awareness about informal e-waste management among policymakers and the general populace and inadequate training programmes to equip informal operators with technology. Several formal/informal economy overlaps are now visible in a ‘gray space.’ Some low-skilled e-waste work, ancillary collection services and workplaces are being upgraded and integrated but informal infrastructure remains very deficient. Downgrading of some e-waste work is taking place. Fragmentation of the main hub is occurring as rival informal operations continue in various locations, and new small ventures are emerging in peripheral locations.

摘要

自2016年以来，加纳推出了几项举措，以使部分电子垃圾经济正规化。该电子废物管理系统基于经验，专家政策建议和来自全球北部的部分资金。通过连续访谈，我们评估了这种正规化途径的推出，不断发展的电子废物管理格局，并反思了非正式地形的重构和尚存的障碍，例如资金不足，决策者和非政府组织对非正式电子废物管理的认识水平低下。普通民众和培训计划不足，无法为非正式操作员配备技术。现在在“灰色空间”中可以看到几个正式/非正式的经济重叠。一些低技能的电子垃圾工作，辅助收集服务和工作场所正在升级和集成，但非正式的基础设施仍然非常匮乏。一些电子废物工作正在降级。随着竞争对手的非正式运营在不同地点的继续进行，主要枢纽的碎片化正在发生，外围地区也出现了新的小型企业。