The first computing or rather calculating machine was invented in the 1820s by a man called Charles Babbage. In 1936, Alan Turing developed an idea that influenced computers, a universal machine which could compute anything computable. Fast forward to 1976, Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak introduced the first single circuit board computer, Apple 1. IBM, in 1981 released the Arcon characterized by an intel chip, a colour monitor and an intel chip. The Apple 1 had a system monitor and its Central Processing Unit (CPU) was a MOS 6502 at 1MHz with a memory of 4KB of RAM, 256B of ROM and a storage of 456KB. 45 years later, I am writing this article from a MacBook Air laptop running on a 2.2GHz Intel Core i7, a memory of 8GB 1600MHz DDR3 and a flash storage of 500GB. One can imagine what has happened to all the machines dating back to the 1800s.
Each year computers are being produced in masses from different companies. It has ceased to be a process of simplifying tasks but a profit-making business, where key players such as Apple, Hewlett-Packard, Dell and many other need to remain relevant and bringing forth the latest technology and most advanced machines. The consumers themselves especially those with rich backgrounds wait anxiously for the latest laptop release, so as to acquire it and get rid of the one they had been using even though it is still new and is in perfect condition. Software engineers on the other side are playing the devil’s advocate. There are constant upgrades in operating software as well as applications. There comes a time where the old laptop or computer can no longer host the updated and latest software and applications. Thereby forcing people to move on with the times. These processes have led to the accumulation or rather generation of used computers.
The used computers are either redundant and dead machines where nothing can be salvaged from them or functional computers which are still usable. Africa has found itself being the dumping ground for such computers. Due to the fact that 90% of the African population cannot afford brand new electrical gadgets including computers, used computers have found their way into the shops of most African men. Demand for these is high because they are affordable and one can still say, “I am using the latest Apple laptop, and I am no different from someone who bought it brand new right out of Apple Incorporation.” There is more to consider than just the hype of being in touch with technology at a lesser cost. It could seem like a blessing, it might be to some extent but there are repercussions that come with that. As some would say, “Cheap is expensive.”
Importation of used electronic gadgets such as computer for sale, as much beneficial as it might seem has made Africa to become one the dumping sites for electronic waste. This is being done with the knowledge of the perpetrators and sometimes of those receiving. However, some have been duped where a whole cargo will only be possessing a few machines that work. The rest becomes waste with nothing to salvage from it. By the mere fact that electronic material is non-biodegradable countries in the most developed world protect their environment by sending off used gadgets to Africa and other less economically developed areas. This has led to the accumulation of electronic waste in countries that do not have the capacity to reprocess the material into upgraded laptop versions or any other usable products. Waste collectors and crafts man have found themselves picking pieces of these computers to use for other crafting ideas, running the risk of exposure to chemical toxins. It is important to note that E-waste has both environmental and health effects.
Computers contain heavy metals such as lead, zinc, barium, lithium and nickel. When left lying on dumpsites and landfills the chemical toxins seep out into the ground and find their way into the underground water bodies. The chemicals can also be washed away into nearby water bodies leading to contamination of surface water. Fruits and vegetables also get contaminated if exposed to contaminated water. The chemicals especially lead bioaccumulate and when ingested by human beings, it accumulates in the human body and pose damage to key body parts and systems such as the kidneys and the central nervous system.
Electronic waste also releases toxins such as dioxins, a carcinogenic. This release is exacerbated by the burning of computers that also takes place when waste pickers are trying to retrieve valuable metals such as copper for their small businesses. Constant exposure to these toxins lead to cancer cells development in one’s body. In order to protect the environment and safeguard the health of the people a limit and standards should be applied when it comes to the acquisition of used computers.
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