MEng Loughborough University

Electronic waste for low-cost lights
 
Kiara has repurposed waste electronics (WEEE*) to make low-cost for her WEEE lights, suitable for Agbogbloshie, Ghana, the world’s largest and most notorious electronic waste dumpsite, hazardous for both human and environmental health. Here locals from surrounding urban slums work as informal e-waste recyclers. They have no electricity, and use expensive kerosene for lighting which is bad for their health. Kiara’s design provides indoor lighting for six houses for at least four hours a day, plus one shared outdoor light. An 80W solar panel reclaimed from caravans or boats provides energy, used with a simple type of wind turbine made from repurposed white goods, with a basic “stepper” motor as the generator. “My project encourages safer use of the electronics and provides clean renewable lighting for locals.” Kiara runs her Instagram feed as a useful source of general info on sustainability and the environment.

* The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations (WEEE) mandate the safe and responsible collection, recycling and recovery of most types of electrical and electronic waste.