Repair or Ruin? E-Waste, Informal Economies, and the Role of Manufacturers

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In this episode, I sit down once again with Kenny McGee, CEO of Component Sense, to delve into one of the most confronting aspects of global supply chains — electronic waste, or e-waste.

Kenny recently returned from Agbogbloshie, Ghana, a site once dubbed the world’s largest e-waste dump. What he found there was far more complex than expected: a vast, informal economy built around salvaging, repairing, and repurposing our discarded electronics. From TVs and fridges to circuit boards and copper wiring, items we think are being “recycled” are often ending up in the hands of workers — many of them teenagers — who burn, strip, and break devices using bare hands and basic tools.

We talk through the journey of a used TV from a UK household to the streets of Accra, explore the supply chains that enable illegal exports of e-waste, and reflect on the human and environmental costs tied to our throwaway tech culture. Kenny also shares the hopeful side — stories of resilience, resourcefulness, and local charity-led education and healthcare initiatives.

Key takeaways:

• Why the second-hand trade isn’t inherently bad — but needs regulation.
• How plastic and clothing waste are compounding the e-waste problem.
• The role manufacturers must play in designing for repair and reuse.
• Why abrupt changes to e-waste flows could hurt the ve

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