By Carolina Curiel (ScrapMonster Author)

August 25, 2016 07:49:59 PM

KAMPALA (Scrap Monster): The East African Community (EAC) member nations have decided to join hands in their fight to tackle growing e-waste in the region. It has been agreed to form a Regional E-waste Management Committee comprising of representatives from all member countries. The EAC comprises of six nations- Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan.

The announcement was made by Immaculate Simiyu, Senior compliance and enforcement officer at Kenya's National Environmental Management Authority during a meeting in Nairobi. The Committee will be entrusted with formulation of a regional approach in dealing with hazardous electronic waste. It is expected to suggest a series of joint efforts in proper management and recycling of discarded electronics items. The Committee will also ease export of e-waste to neighboring countries for recycling and refurbishment, in addition to implementing joint steps to control importation of waste from developed countries. Concerted efforts will be made to build e-waste recycling facilities.

Meantime, several countries in the region have launched own initiatives to promote responsible recycling of electronic waste. For instance, Kenya is all set to become the first country in the region to enact an e-waste law. The bill currently under debate, aims to uphold safe recycling of electronic waste and contribute to reduction of health impacts caused by unsafe disposal of electronic goods, through periodic and regular inspection of illegal waste dumping. The proposed bill will bring producers and recyclers under strict licensing mechanism.

Similarly, legislation is underway in Ghana to address the control, management and disposal of hazardous and electronic waste. The Hazardous and Electronic Waste Control and Management Bill, 2016 aims to provide funds to support safe management of e-waste. The bill also proposes establishment of electrical and electronic waste recycling plant in the country, which will save the country from the hazardous health risks caused by improper disposal of e-waste.

However, many countries still don’t have specific policies and mechanisms to fight e-waste. The primary issue is the lack of infrastructure for systematic and safe collection and treatment of e-waste. This, coupled with lack of e-waste legislations has led to piling of e-waste. In addition to the huge amount of locally generated e-waste, many African countries are burdened by loads of electronic waste that are being dumped by developed nations. The e-waste dumps pose serious threat to people and environment. The improper handling of this waste also pollutes the ground, water and air. It must be noted that the e-waste in the region is mostly handled in primitive and unethical ways, thereby leading to emission of harmful chemicals and metals into surrounding environment.

The study report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) states that nearly 42 million tons of electronic waste was generated across the world in 2014. It also notes that much of the waste generated in developed countries end up in African countries such as Nigeria and Ghana. Further, the report forecasts the global electronic waste volumes to touch 50 million tons by 2017.