http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Sky-Probe-Reveals-Recycling-Scandal-As-Broken-TVs-Are-Shipped-Over-To-West-Africa/Article/200902315224628?lpos=UK_News_Second_World_News_Article_Teaser_Region_4&lid=ARTICLE_15224628_Sky_Probe_Reveals_Recycling_Scandal_As_Broken_TVs_Are_Shipped_Over_To_West_Africa

A Sky News investigation has revealed potentially dangerous electronic waste from the UK is being shipped over to Africa.
Because of the toxic nature of some of the components, the appliances should be recycled under strict conditions here in the UK.

But after being informed that e-waste collected by Hampshire County Council is being sent to West Africa, Sky News teamed up with Greenpeace to investigate the claim.

Our team found an old television, noted its barcode and product number and, with the help of a qualified engineer, removed a vital working part, rendering it useless.

We then inserted a satellite tracker into the television before taking it to the council's recycling centre.

The idea was to follow every step of the TV's journey across the world - via the internet - before pinpointing the exact coordinates of its final destination.

Filming undercover, we dropped our television off at a recycling site in Basingstoke which is managed for Hampshire County Council by a firm called Hopkins.

They in turn sell appliances to a company called BJ Electronics. BJ bought our old television.

We then followed the television to the BJ Electronics warehouse in Walthamstow, where BJ claim they test every appliance before selling them on to other companies for export.

Our tracker showed our broken television was eventually loaded onto a shipping container at BJ's warehouse then taken to Tilbury where it was exported.

We tracked the TV to Nigeria and using the tracker's signal - we followed it to the docks in Lagos.

After that, for a while anyway, the trail went dead, but after a few days, we got lucky.

At Lagos' Alaba electronics market, the biggest in the city, we finally managed to track the television down to a shipping container.

After a little haggling, Greenpeace campaigner, Eric Albertson, bought it back.

There is a reason why e-waste in the UK is sent to specialist recycling facilities.

On a scrap heap in Lagos, we found youngsters aged between 15 and 20, scavenging for the valuable copper contained in the appliances.

They strip the wires and circuit boards then burn off the plastics to extract the metal, unaware they are inhaling carcinogenic chemicals like dioxins in the process.

Greenpeace Campaigner, Erik Albertson, told Sky News Online: "What you see around us could be the remains of one of your old computers or a tv set.

"The problem with things like this is every now and then, a couple of times a week, they set them on fire and the contents of the chemicals will cause dioxins to escape.

"Dioxins are well known as one of the toxic substances on earth. They're both carcinogenic and causes endocrine disruption."

Back in the UK, we told Hampshire County Council, Hopkins and BJ Electronics of our findings.

Hopkins refused to comment. BJ said they had done nothing wrong and were adamant they comply with all the necessary tests.

Hampshire Council issued the following statement: "We are extremely disappointed to learn of the potential findings of the investigation.

"Our primary aim has always been to ensure that waste electrical items are reused wherever possible, and that only functional TVs and monitors are sent abroad. We do not condone the exportation of televisions that cannot be reused.

"If, after our inquiry, it is found that our clear requirements are being compromised by inadequate controls, we will take immediate action and we will publish our findings."

As Hampshire County Council carries out its own inquiry, Greenpeace is now calling on manufacturers of electronic goods to ensure they put in place take back schemes, so that our unwanted appliances are disposed of responsibly, instead of being dumped on poorer countries.

i dont even blame Hampshire county council. i blame our useless govt for allowing the rubbish to happen in the first place.

OMO IBO:

i dont even blame Hampshire county council. i blame our useless govt for allowing the rubbish to happen in the first place.

Very right. It's a common saying with the people abroad calling Africa the "dumping ground" and I didn't even know that the saying has been coming to fruition.

hhmm!!

why dem dey make noise? no be "imported" electronics be the best again?

go check out www.oebaltd.com they might be of help, they started me off in my recycling business