Interview of George Mc.pathacraouset

Journalist: Good morning mister Mc.pathacraouset! How are you?

Mc.pathacraouset : I ‘m fine thank you

Journalist : So today we’re here to talk about green It, especially the backlashes of E-waste in Africa , that you have studied If I don’t mistaken ?

Mc.pathacraouset : You don’t . Indeed I have been living in Ghana for one year to see which consequences have E-waste on the population. And let me tell you, that there are terrible.

Journalist: First of all maybe can you explain us where does this E-waste come from? I didn’t though that people buy so much computers in Ghana

Mc: they don’t! All these devices come from developed countries in Europe or the United States.

J: But why are they sent there?

Mc : The official story, which is given by governments , says that he final purpose is to permit people to have an easier and cheaper to IT

J: and the non-official version.

Mc : Actually, developed countries use ??? As a giant garage for their broken devices. They don’t know what to do with the mountains of computers which has disposed every year.

J : But, why aren’t they recycled? We are able to recycle glass and plastic, and it works! So why can’t we do the same work for computers?

Mc: Because it’s more expensive to recycle a computer than a plastic bottle. Indeed, there are a lot of different parts that can’t be recycled the same way.

J : which are these parts?

Mc : the main component of a computer is plastic , but you have to separate it from precious metals , and wire. The problem is that governments would have to create the whole system to sort all these diferents materials, which would cost a lot.

J: hum… I see, so I guess it’s cheaper to send the dishes away…

Mc: exactly

J : So what is the destiny of a computer when it arrives in ???

Mc: it’ll end somewhere on savage garbage which are some kind of computers mountain, where people try to pick some materials.

J: which one?

Mc: people are looking for the rare metals which permit to do the printed circuits. And that’s the first issue!

J: Why?

Mc : because, to access these metals, people have to burn the plastic parts of computers, and burning plastic creates toxic gas. And some people spend the whole day breathing these gas. As you can guess, it’s a terrible health issue.

J: Can you give more accurate examples of the backlashes of these gas?

Mc : Actually, it is harmful for almost each part of the body: it destroys the nervous system, the breathing system , it can create hormonal problems.

J: And what are the consequences for the environment?

Mc: these dishes create a lot of pollution. First of all, the toxic gas which are produced are greenhouse gaz, which speed the global warming. Then all these devices are ??? directly on the ground, and when it rains the water flows through the dishes and contaminate rivers and groundwater.

J: hm hm and of course, when people drink it then again it creates diseases.

Mc: exactly, and it’s very difficult to purify contaminated water.

J: So , I think that thanks to you now we have an idea of the terrible consequences of E-waste in Africa.

Mc : Yes, it’s a real issue of common concern and people have to act to stop this disaster .Everybody can do something. If everybody try to dispose their computer in a place where they can be recycled, it will reduce E-waste a lot.

J: Thank you very much M.Pathacraouset, I’m sure that our reader will follow your advices. Good bye, and good luck for you’re searching.

Mc: thank you very much good bye!

Interview of douglas Mc pathacraouset , green IT researcher

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