AudiencScapes

Kenya’s expanding ICT sector brings the country economic opportunities but also poses a dilemma: What to do with the waste generated by discarded electronics? The country is on the brink of being the first East African nation to regulate e-waste.

By Dinfin Mulupi

The fast-paced expansion of the information and communication technology (ICT) sector in Kenya has yielded numerous benefits in communication, financial services and job creation. At the same time, this growth has left the government flatfooted, with no laws to address the negative impacts of the industry. One of the most destructive impacts is “e-waste” – garbage created by discarded electronic devices. As it grapples with this new type of garbage, Kenya is set to become the first country in East Africa to have clear laws about electronic waste management.

The Problem

Kenya generates 3,000 tons of electronic waste per year, according to a study conducted by the Kenyan Information Communications and Technology Network. This is expected to rise as demand for electronic goods increases, especially mobile phones. The country is in the process of shifting from analog to digital television, which will likely lead to an increase in discarded TV sets. Most of the e-waste consists of old computers, printers, mobile phones, refrigerators and television sets.

The speed of technological development and product obsolescence means that many appliances have a short life-expectancy. To counter this, says Managing Director Ayub Macharia of The National Environmental Management Authority, there is a need for proper re-use and disposal methods.

The hazardous substances contained in discarded electronics, such as heavy metals, pose a serious risk to the environment and to human health.

Developing New Policies

In early September, public and private sector stakeholders gathered in Nairobi to discuss e-waste and make recommendations for controlling it. They raised the need to identify and map the environmental impact of e-waste on Kenya, determine the capacity constraints hindering the disposal of e-waste and assess the recycling infrastructure for e-waste. After the meeting, Kenya’s Environment and Mineral Resources Minister, John Michuki, said the government would address the challenges brought by the rising amount of e-waste.

One of the recommendations generated at the meeting instructed Kenya’s government to develop a legal framework for managing electronic waste by March 31, 2011. This framework should minimize the impact of the unsafe disposal of electronic products on public health and the environment.

“They should take the necessary steps to ensure that they prioritize the legislation of reuse targets and standards to provide appropriate economic incentives to catalyze further investment in recycling and final disposal facilities,” read the recommendation. If the government acts on this, it will bring Kenya in compliance with the Basel Convention and other international declarations for handling e-waste.

Microsoft's Regional Education Manager for East and Southern Africa, Mark Matunga, praised the recommendations and stressed the need for proper e-waste management.

"There is an urgent need for the government and other stakeholders from the private sector to work towards streamlining the management of e-waste, especially in the wake of increased turnover of electronic equipment on the continent," said Matunga.

Opportunity in Waste

The e-waste menace presents economic opportunities for those who can invest in the recycling and refurbishing of unwanted electronic goods.

At the meeting, UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme) Deputy Executive Director Angela Cropper explained: "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."

For instance, the Computers for Schools Kenya (CFSK) in partnership with NEMA, opened the country’s first e-waste management center in Nairobi in 2008. The CFSK charges 2,000 shillings per unit for the disposal of a complete computer – with equally competitive prices for the disposal of various components and other ICT equipment. The center has also created jobs for local youths who separate metals such as aluminum and copper from the electronics, which are then recycled locally before the motherboards are shipped to Asia and Europe for disposal.

According to a UNEP report, Recycling-- from E-Waste to Resources, released in February 2010 which examined e-waste in 11 developing countries, Kenya is grouped among countries classified as promising for the introduction of innovative preprocessing technologies. The report explains that appropriate handling of e-waste can both prevent serious environmental damage and also recover valuable materials, especially metals.

Dinfin Mulupi is a business journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya. She is currently the East Africa correspondent for an online business paper based in Cape Town in South Africa.
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