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be purchased. Up for sale are computers, fax machines, cellular telephones, and other
devices that have been repaired. Lagos’ location is shown in Figure 7-2.
This all sounds like imported e-waste is being turned around and reused in a positive
manner, but the truth is that as much as 75 percent of the electronics shipped to the
Computer Village are irreparable, says the Computer and Allied Product Dealers
Association of Nigeria, a local industry group.
Although Nigeria has a good repair market, it lacks a system to safely deal with e-waste.
Most of it winds up in landfills and unofficial dumps. As such, toxins seep into the earth.
And when plastic cases are burned, they churn carcinogenic dioxins and polyaromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) into the air.
It is estimated that 500 shipping containers filled with used electronic equipment pass
through Lagos each month. Each container can be packed with a load equal to:

• 800 computer monitors
• 800 CPUs
• 350 large television sets PART III

FIGURE 7-2 The port town of Lagos is Africa’s second most populous city and a major destination
for e-waste.