ASSIGNMENTS

Project  -Country Recap - Africa

Do your research on the geographic area of Africa or a country within this continent. Do not include any of the countries in the MENA area.

ISSUE: Discarded Computer Components: Whose Problem is it?

Experts estimate that about 1 billion computers were discarded in 2010. The discarded items often are known as E-waste. As technology advances and prices fall, many people think of computers as disposable items. Computers contain several toxic elements, including lead, mercury and barium. Computers through into landfills or burned in incinerators can pollute the ground and the air. A vast amount of e-waste ends up polluting third world countries.

Read the article Europe's Electronic Waste has Become Africa's Burden and then view the video entitled Africa: Digital Graveyard dated 6/22/2011. Continue your research on this subject by watching 1 additional video on this subject and reading around the dilemma. Be ready to discuss your findings in class.

Please answer the following questions using your research content as support.

1. What is e-Waste? What toxic materials are involved?

2. Is e-Waste a growing concern? Are there health dangers posed by the e-Waste?

3. Should government, manufacturers, or users be responsible? Why? What is the Basel Convention?

4. In the Africa: Digital Graveyard video, explain the potential model that could be the future for e-Waste Recycling? As another solution, could ICT billionaires create a consortium and provide a new industry to handle the tons of e-Waste their products and services have created?

5. Recap the video you found on this subject.

Attachment:- e_waste_in_africa_article.rar