The United Nations Environment Programme has released a report looking into the waste electronics trade in Africa.#
Key findings of the report were:
• The use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) equipment in Africa has rapidly increased in the last few years in an attempt to bridge the ‘digital divide’ felt between developing and developed countries. This has occurred through the import of vast quantities of ‘used’ equipment. When this equipment reaches end-of-life, the infrastructure and resources for recycling the e-waste to minimise effects on human and the environment, as well as maximise re-use of salvageable items does not exist.
• E-waste assessments showed that overall use of EEE in Africa is low in comparison to world usage but the growth rate is very high (use of personal computers has increased 10x, mobile phones increased 100x).
• The e-waste problem is caused both by the increased rate of usage by inhabitants and the growing import of WEEE from outside the continent. In 2009, 70% of all imports were WEEE with 30% having been labelled as working EEE. West Africa generates between 650,000 – 1,000,000 tonnes of WEEE per annum.
• Emergence of an additional category of EEE – ‘near-end-of-life’. This equipment can be exported as EEE but in reality is in such poor condition that it will soon cease to operate and become WEEE.
• In Accra and Lagos alone, over 30,000 people are employed in the recycling / refurbishment sector.
• Collection and recycling of e-waste is almost entirely carried out informally with workers earning between US$0.22 and US$9.50 per day (The international poverty line sits at US$1.25 per day).
• The UK was found to be the biggest exporter of EEE, with Nigeria the biggest importer.
The report concluded:
• A solution clearly needs to be found which tackles the growing problem of e-waste and near-end-of-life equipment whilst at the same time not removing the means of employment for thousands of workers.
• Investment is needed to form an infrastructure and resource pool to create well-functioning collection and recycling processes and practices. The link between the informal and formal structures is ‘pivotal’ in achieving this.
• An abundant source of labour replaces the need for investment in sorting / shredding machines reducing the start up costs whilst training and equipment must be provided to maximise the safety of the workers and the potential revenue available from recovered goods.
To read the full report click here.
Or visit the UNEP website for more information.
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