Nairobi, 7 September
2010 - Kenya is set to become the first
East African nation to develop regulations
on the management of electronic waste (e-waste),
following a national conference held
at the United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) in Nairobi. The aim is to minimize
the impacts of the unsafe disposal of electronic
products on public health and the environment.
Delegates from Kenya's
Environment Ministry, the country's National
Environment Management Authority (NEMA),
software giant Microsoft, UNEP and the telecommunications
industry came together , Tuesday, to chart
a common way forward in dealing with e-waste
management in line with the Basel Convention
and other international frameworks.
The need to identify
and map the environmental impact of e-waste
on Kenya was identified as a national priority.
Experts also discussed the capacity constraints
hindering the disposal of e-waste as well
as the collection system and recycling infrastructure.
E-waste consists of
old electronic items such as computers,
printers, mobile phones, refrigerators and
televisions. Increasing demand for electronic
goods in Kenya and in the developing world
means that levels of e-waste are growing
fast. As a result, the hazardous substances
such as heavy metals contained in most of
these discarded products are posing a serious
risk to the environment and to human health.
But e-waste also presents
an economic opportunity through the recycling
and refurbishing of discarded electronic
goods and the harvesting of the precious
metals they contain.
A recent baseline study
conducted by the Kenyan Information Communications
and Technology Network, showed that Kenya
generates 3,000 tons of electronic waste
per year. The study predicts that the quantity
is expected to rise as demand for electronic
goods increases.
Internationally, China,
India and Pakistan receive much of the world's
e-waste. Worldwide, e-waste generation is
growing by about 40 million tons a year.
Speaking at the workshop,
UNEP Deputy Executive Director Angela Cropper
spoke of the emerging global threats and
opportunities provided by tackling the growing
e-waste challenge. Acknowledging technology's
potential for assisting with infrastructure
and overcoming knowledge barriers, she noted
innovation and technology can also play
a role in achieving the Millennium Development
Goals, green growth and assisting with climate
change challenges.
However, given the increased
pace of technological development and obsolescence,
many appliances have a short life-expectancy
and require sound re-use, recycling and
disposal solutions. Dumping or improper
recycling of electronic waste causes serious
environmental contamination, and while electronic
goods are mostly used in the developed world,
many end up in developing countries.
"Raising recycling
rates and re-using valuable metals and components,
as well as increasing safe waste management
and its regulation, is critical if countries
and businesses are to transform mountains
of e-waste into an asset", said Ms.
Cropper.
Microsoft's Regional
Education Manager for East and Southern
Africa, Mr. Mark Matunga, called for concerted
efforts in e-waste management, which has
proved to be a challenge to many African
countries.
"Kenya, like most
Africa countries has no polices and strategies
for dealing with e-waste and therefore its
population is greatly exposed to health
hazards that are associated with e-waste",
said Mr. Matunga.
At present, Kenya has
no specific laws relating directly to e-waste.
The government-backed recommendations produced
at the Nairobi meeting could pave the way
towards the first legislation in East Africa
on e-waste management.
Notes to Editors
UNEP has been conducting
extensive research on e-waste and launched
a landmark report, 'Recycling - from E-Waste
to Resources', in February 2010. The report
examined e-waste in 11 developing countries,
including Kenya.
UNEP hosts the Secretariat
of the Basel Convention on the Control of
Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes
and their Disposal. Under the Convention,
inventories and national management plans
are being developed in Africa to improve
the collection, repair, refurbishment and
recovery of e-waste.
