2. THE CONSUMER
PARTNERSHIP
(GHANA)
Second-Hand Goods
consumer education is self-preservation
• Second-hand goods are those goods that
have been in service and are re-entering
the market for sale and use
– Concerns
• Value for Money
• Health and Safety
• Environmental Impact
ISO-COPOLCO WORKSHOP, ACCRA 16th March, 2012
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3. THE CONSUMER
PARTNERSHIP
(GHANA)
Second Hand Goods
consumer education is self-preservation
• Second Hand Clothing (SHC):
– Sub-Saharan Africa: SHC forms 26% of total imports by value
(2003)
– Second Hand Clothing (SHC): 90% of Ghanaians buy [Oxfam]
• Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), also
known as e-waste is considered fastest growing hazardous
waste stream
• Used Vehicles
• Children’s Toys
– baby walkers
– cots / cribs
– carseats
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5. THE CONSUMER
PARTNERSHIP
(GHANA)
e-Waste
consumer education is self-preservation
• UN: 50 million metric tonnes of e-waste
generated annually, containing hazardous
– Lead
– Cadmium
– Mercury
• Ghana a major destination for e-waste
– Greater Accra Region
– Western Region
– Ashanti Region
ISO-COPOLCO WORKSHOP, ACCRA 16th March, 2012
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6. THE CONSUMER
PARTNERSHIP
(GHANA)
e-Waste
consumer education is self-preservation
• Children constitute 40% of workers@
Agbogbloshie dumpsite covering an area the
size of 11 football fields
• One recycling facility with three workers (July
2010)
• No legislation in Ghana on e-Waste.
ISO-COPOLCO WORKSHOP, ACCRA 16th March, 2012
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7. THE CONSUMER
PARTNERSHIP
(GHANA)
Used Vehicles: Issues
consumer education is self-preservation
• Low customs declarations
– decreasing the value of the imported car in order to reduce the
amount of tax paid
• Title washing
– Taking a rebuilt or repaired wreck or a flood damaged car and giving it
a clean title
•
Clone vehicles
– Vehicle Identification Numbers (VIN) of heavily damaged salvage
vehicles; replace the VIN number of vehicles of the same model and
description
• Fraud›
– Stolen vehicles
– Rebuilt/Repaired vehicles
– “Creative” valuations
ISO-COPOLCO WORKSHOP, ACCRA 16th March, 2012
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8. THE CONSUMER
PARTNERSHIP
(GHANA)
consumer education is self-preservation
Bans on Second-Hand Goods
• Algeria: vehicles [3+yrs]
• Ghana: undergarments, vehicles [10+yrs],
mattresses
• Kenya: clothing intended for sale, vehicles
[3+tons]
• South Africa: Clothes (except for Humanitarian
reasons), vehicles
• Tunisia: vehicles [3+yrs]
• Zimbabwe: vehicles [4+yrs]
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9. THE CONSUMER
PARTNERSHIP
(GHANA)
consumer education is self-preservation
Other Legal Restrictions on SHG
•
•
•
•
Tanzania: clothes
Kenya: Vehicles and Tyres
Mozambique: Tyres, Clothes
Nigeria: Motor Vehicles
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10. THE CONSUMER
PARTNERSHIP
(GHANA)
Why a Standard?
consumer education is self-preservation
• Unsuspecting consumers, particularly those
from developing countries, constrained by
limited financial and market surveillance
resources are potential recipients of
unsafe, non-serviceable products that:
– adversely affect consumers health and safety;
– are poor in performance; and
– have negative impacts on the environment
especially those of small island states.
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11. THE CONSUMER
PARTNERSHIP
(GHANA)
consumer education is self-preservation
Standards for Second hand
products
ANEC proposed mandate on standardization to the commission
in 2001
Consumers International has proposed an ISO standard on
second hand goods.
COPOLCO (Consumer Policy Committee) has recommended the
development of some international guidelines governing the
purchase and sale of second hand goods
ISO work is starting; it will be monitored by ANEC
ISO-COPOLCO WORKSHOP, ACCRA 16th March, 2012
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www.apsi.org.pt
12. THE CONSUMER
PARTNERSHIP
(GHANA)
consumer education is self-preservation
Standards for Second hand
products
1st Working Draft of the Standard ISO/WD
20245 ‘Standard for Cross-Border Trade of
Second Hand Goods’
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13. THE CONSUMER
PARTNERSHIP
(GHANA)
consumer education is self-preservation
Second hand products
• Can standards solve the problem?
• Safety issues related to second-hand goods are
extremely varied and need to be applied across
a range of different products, sellers and selling
environments.
• Priorities should be defined taking injuries to
children into account
ISO-COPOLCO WORKSHOP, ACCRA 16th March, 2012
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14. THE CONSUMER
PARTNERSHIP
(GHANA)
Country Standards
consumer education is self-preservation
• Ghana: Legislative Instrument (LI) 1586- GSA
• Kenya: National Standards for Garments,
Shoes, Vehicles and Tyres
• Tanzania: National Standards for Textiles,
Garments and Vehicles
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