Documentary exposes Africa’s e-waste crisis and push for second life solutions

Investigations from the film showed that much of the shipped equipment is unusable, which forces local communities to dismantle it for valuable materials like copper, aluminium, and gold, while being exposed to toxic substances such as lead, mercury, and cadmium.

These activities, frequently carried out without protective measures, have been linked to cancers, liver and kidney diseases, respiratory problems, and even birth defects.

In Spain, the Educational Association Reciclanet in Bilbao, a pioneering approach to electronic waste management, is transforming discarded technology into valuable resources, while curbing environmental harm and supporting the circular economy.

Reciclanet specialises in collecting obsolete IT equipment from companies and educational institutions, reconditioning viable devices, and responsibly recycling those beyond repair.

“We let only those that will be able to be reused pass,” explained Andrea Valiente, a representative of the centre. “If it does not have the minimum characteristics that people are willing to accept, it goes directly to what we call CHAE, electronic junk.”

The process involves meticulous sorting —green-coded items for reuse, yellow for repair, and red for waste— which ensures that hazardous components like lead, mercury, and cadmium are handled by licensed waste managers.

These discarded devices are dismantled to extract critical materials such as copper, lithium, tungsten, and even gold. As Valiente noted, “Europe needs [these] to boost the circular economy.”

The centre’s work also responds to concerns over the unethical export of unusable electronics to Africa under the guise of donations. Investigations have shown that much of the shipped material is scrap, leaving local communities to manage hazardous waste.

“The material that is sent is not of practical use… for me, I think [they] throw it away directly,” Valiente said, referencing a European Union probe that found countries like England and Poland breaking export laws.

Globally, e-waste generation is growing at an alarming rate, estimated between 60,000 and 71,000 tonnes annually, with a 17% year-on-year increase, according to the World Health Organisation.

The documentary linked to Reciclanet’s work was filmed at electronic waste sites in Ghana and Cameroon, with interviews in Spain. It was produced by Asociación Sociocultural Afrika Miniaturan in partnership with Asociación Cultural Ghana Union, with funding from the City Council of Vitoria-Gasteiz.