International trade in electronic waste: understanding Rouyn-Noranda's place in a global economy

This presentation addresses the issue of international trade in e-waste, focusing on Rouyn-Noranda from a global perspective. Electronic waste, mainly from devices fitted with batteries or electrical cables, is the fastest-growing category of material waste worldwide, reaching a record 62 million tonnes in 2022. Despite measures taken since the 1980s, notably the Basel Convention to control the transboundary movement of this hazardous waste, the crisis persists. At the same time, e-waste represents a significant economic resource, globally valued at US$91 billion in precious metals such as copper, gold and iron. Dr. Morinville's ethnographic study in India and Ghana explores these complex circuits and the associated environmental and social implications.

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