Trash or Treasure: Global Trade and the Accumulation of E-Waste in Lagos, Nigeria

This paper explores the relationships between the consumption of electronics throughout the world and the accumulation of electronic waste on the landscape of southwest Nigeria. E-waste recycling, which often includes burning and burial of used, discarded, and scavenged equipment, profoundly affects the soil, water, and air quality of these industrial sites, as well as landscapes farther afield. The globally influenced dumping operations and the informal recycling methods employed to extract valuable raw materials raise questions of environmental ethics, social justice, and appropriate land use. At issue is the balance between the externalities of e-waste and the economic needs of Nigeria, attitudes about the earth as a repository for e-waste, and the subsequent implications for Nigeria’s economic, ecological, and human health.