Our quest to own the latest electronic gadgetry is driving a growing trade in e-waste. Of the 20–50 million tonnes disposed of each year, almost three quarters will end up in poor nations such as Ghana. At Agbogbloshie dump in Accra, the nation’s main e-waste recycling centre, unregulated manual processing is causing toxic metals – including lead, cadmium and mercury – to be released, causing untold damage to human health and the environment