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Children and Digital Dumpsites Report – WHO

Children and Digital Dumpsites report:

 

The new report, titled Children and Digital Dumpsites, was recently released by the WHO.

  • More than 18 million children and adolescents working at e-waste dumpsites in low- and middle-income countries are potentially at the risk of severe health hazards.
  • They face risk due to discarded electronic devices or e-waste being dumped from high-income countries.
  • e-waste contains over 1,000 precious metals and other substances like gold, copper, mercury, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons
  • The processing is done in low-income countries, which do not have proper safeguarding regulations and which makes the process even more dangerous.
  • Children are especially preferred at these dumpsites because of their small and dexterous hands.
  • Several women, including expectant mothers, also work there. Processing e-waste exposes them as well as their children to these toxins, which can lead to premature births and stillbirth.
  • The hazardous impact of working at such sites is also experienced by families and communities that reside in the vicinity of these e-waste dumpsites.