Lawmakers in Ghana have reportedly approved legislation that will result in a national fund to provide collection and recycling services for end-of-life electronics.
Ghana, which is located on the west coast of Africa, has in recent years become a hot spot in the international debate over the export of used electronics.
According to a report on Ghana Business News, the recycling fund will be paid for by manufacturers and importers of new electronics in Ghana. Manufacturers and importers will be required to register with the country’s Environmental Protection Agency and pay an “eco levy.” The resulting funds will be managed by a group of public sector agencies and representatives.
The new recycling fund will reportedly be used to fund the addition of e-scrap collection points throughout the country as well as building processing facilities to handle the devices.
In addition, the bill allows the agency to authorize parties to import used electronics “for the purposes of recycling” without paying the fee.
The bill, which now requires presidential assent, was first introduced in 2012. It can be read in full here.
