Accra's public health director says around 80% of burial permits issued in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area list cardiovascular or upper respiratory disease as the cause of death. She attributes the trend to air pollution from vehicle exhaust, open burning of e-waste at Agbogbloshie, and solid fuel cooking. The article cites WHO data on e-waste and a 2024 UNITAR study finding 77.7% of the world's e-waste is not formally collected or recycled, while PM2.5 levels in the area have repeatedly exceeded WHO guidelines. The reporting comes from an upcoming TV3 documentary, 'Toxic Smoke, Fragile Lives.' It shows how a local health system records the effects of pollution that is also a waste management and carbon problem. For readers tracking climate and health policy in West Africa, it is a concrete example of overlapping pollution sources and public health data. The main missing piece is continuous public air quality monitoring to verify the quoted 40% vehicle and 25% waste burning split.
