Dumping grounds such as this one, dubbed the world's biggest e-waste site - PHOTO

While most people would expect their electrical goods to be recycled properly, the toxic chemicals inside can make it expensive to do so, making illegal dumping a lucrative business.Traders from across Europe, the U.S., China and India have therefore reportedly been sending containers of 'Development Aid' or 'Second-Hand Products' to Tema Harbour, the contents of which end up being dumped 20 miles east in Agbogbloshie.Photographer Kevin McElvaney has now documented how boys and young men make their living by salvaging metals and burning cables to get to the copper inside.Such dangerous work among toxic chemicals however leads to a range of injuries including lung problems, untreated wounds, headaches and insomnia.The Hamburg-based photographer said most of the boys die from cancer in their 20s, but even being aware of the dangers is not enough to put many of them off carrying on working at the site.He said the old lagoon is filled with computers, monitors, Hi-Fi systems, videoplayers and a range of other devices, as a result of illegal exportation and fake donations labelled as 'development aid'.He said while some of the boys are now careful about the risks of working at the site, others continue to remain unaware of the dangers, while some just no longer care.He said one of the young men had arrived at Agbogbloshie from the Ivory Coast a few days earlier to start his 'career' searching for tins between the food waste.Writing on his website, Mr McElvaney said: 'I wondered why he was satisfied with this situation but then he told me, that because of civil war struggles in his homeland he lost his mum, dad and brother and decided to stay rather here, than to fight and maybe die there.'Mr McElvaney goes on to write that while he felt sorry for the people who lived in Agbogbloshie, he felt it was wrong to be sad while the children played and spoke of their future plans.He writes: 'Most boys work together as a group and help each other like a family. Many of them try to forget the sad parts in their story and focus on their opportunities, which was wonderful to hear, but I had some facts in the back of my mind. 'Most of them will die from cancer in their 20s and grow up without education.'At the point where they have enough money, they often get sick and have to spend it on medicine, sleeping pills and food.'To earn money, they can just start the same work again and again, but in the end they are not able to leave this place and start their dream.'So this work seems wrong, but till today there is no alternative in this region. Burning cables and electronic-waste became a livelihood for many people there and it is expected that the e-waste exports to Ghana will be doubled till 2020.'To see more of Mr McElvaney's work visit facebook.com/derkevindotcom.(dailymail.co.uk)ANN.Az