Electronic waste levels in West Africa are rising as more people in that region buy mobile phones and personal computers.
That is according to a report unveiled by the United Nations, which says that in Benin, C^ote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria between 650 000 tons and 1 000 000 tons of domestic e-waste were generated each year from 2009 to 2011.
E-waste levels are still low in Africa compared to other regions of the world, said the report entitled "Where are WEEE (waste electronic and electrical equipment) in Africa?”
But as usage of personal computers in the last decade in Africa has increased by a factor of 10 and the number of mobile phone subscribers has increased by a factor of 100 in the same time period, the domestic consumption of these gadgets has driven up e-waste levels, according to the report.
"We can grow Africa's economies, generate decent employment and safeguard the environment by supporting sustainable e-waste management and recovering the valuable metals and other resources locked inside products that end up as e-waste,” said Achim Steiner, executive director of the UN Environment Programme, in a UN press statement.
“In the run-up to Rio+20 in June, this report shows how measures such as improved collection strategies and establishing more formal recycling structures can limit environmental damage and provide economic opportunities," added Steiner.
However, collectors in West Africa do already gather these materials on waste dumps in these countries to sell them to recyclers.
Copper and printed wire boards are materials from electronics that collectors sell on to recyclers, said Susanne Dittke from EnviroSense.
However, Dittke said those who dismantle the products potentially expose themselves to poisonous chemicals such as mercury and lead, and she said collectors in that part of the world need to be educated about the dangers of exposing themselves to those substances.
Dittke also said the problem of e-waste in West Africa is exacerbated by second-hand devices that are exported from places such as Europe to countries such as Nigeria.
Share