Computer waste

Thousands of discarded computers from western Europe and the US arrive in the ports of west Africa every day, ending up in massive toxic dumps where children burn and pull them apart to extract metals for cash Photograph: DanWatch and Consumers International

Thousands of discarded computers from western Europe and the US arrive in the ports of west Africa every day, ending up in massive toxic dumps where children burn and pull them apart to extract metals for cash. Read the article Photograph: DanWatch and Consumers International

Campaigners believe unscrupulous scrap merchants are illegally dumping millions of tonnes of dangerous waste on the developing world under the guise of exporting it for use in schools and hospitals Photograph: DanWatch and Consumers International

They are calling for better policing of the ban on exports of e-waste, which can release lead, mercury and other dangerous chemicals Photograph: DanWatch and Consumers International

Mike Anane, director of the League of Environmental Journalists in Ghana, said: 'The people that break open these monitors tell me that they suffer from nausea, headaches and respiratory problems.' Photograph: DanWatch and Consumers International

More than half a million computers arrive in Lagos every month but only about one in four works. The rest are sold as scrap, smashed up and burned Photograph: DanWatch and Consumers International

'Millions of tons of e-waste disappears from the developed world every year and continues to reappear in developing countries, despite international bans,' according to Luke Upchurch from Consumers International Photograph: DanWatch and Consumers International

The illegal trade in e-waste is highly lucrative. It is possible to extract more gold out of a tonne of electronic circuitry than from a tonne of gold-bearing rock Photograph: DanWatch and Consumers International

Six years ago the EU produced the waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) directive, which introduced new curbs and restrictions on the movement of e-waste. The directive, which came into effect in Britain in January last year, heavily regulates the movement of e-waste for recycling and bans its export for disposal Photograph: DanWatch and Consumers International

But DanWatch, a partner organisation of Consumers International, has evidence that computer equipment from British companies and even local authorities is being dumped in west Africa Photograph: DanWatch and Consumers International

Properly functioning computer equipment is exempt from the WEEE rules about export. In fact the regulations encourage refurbishment and re-use of computer equipment. But there is no regime that checks computer equipment destined for re-use before it is shipped overseas Photograph: DanWatch and Consumers International