Overview
The fastest growing waste stream in the world is e-waste generation which is estimated to be growing at 5 percent per year. This is because rapid economic growth and urbanization have increased both the consumption of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) and the production of waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). Most of the e-waste generated globally ends up being shipped to emerging economies such as those in Asia and Africa. For instance, in 2019 out of the 53 metric tons of e-waste generated, about 80 percent ended up in Asia and Africa.
With proper handling of e-waste, more than 92 percent of the materials ranging from precious metals to plastics can be recoverable and reusable. However, treating e-waste properly has been challenging because of how expensive it can be.
Policies such as extended producer responsibility (EPR) have been implemented in most developed countries which mandate electronic manufacturers and importers to take back used electronic products at their end–of–life (EoL). The major impact of e-waste on people and the environment has made waste from electrical and electronic equipment one of the priority streams in global waste management. Moreover, e-waste management is one of the most complex waste streams due to the wide variety of products from electronic devices making their recovery very challenging. Characterization of these waste streams has become important to help develop a cost-effective and environmentally sound recycling and recovery system.
Recycling of waste electric and electronic equipment is important not only to reduce the amount of waste but also to promote recovery of valuable materials and thus reduce the use of virgin materials. A broad range of goods has been classified as electrical and electronic equipment and this includes small and large household appliances, information and technology equipment (e.g., telephones, computer games, telecommunication equipment, etc.). The end of life of these products turns them into e-waste or WEE (waste from electricals and electronic equipment).
Waste from electronics mostly contains precious metals such as iron, copper, aluminum, and gold as well as other non-metals such as plastics and glass. Likewise, it contains toxic materials such as lead, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, selenium, and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and brominated flame retardants, etc. which have negative effects on the environment and human health.
Reference
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42452-022-04962-9
E-waste and Pollution
The mismanagement of e-waste like open burning activities leads to the release of unintentionally produced persistent Organic pollutants (uPOPS) and other chemicals which present serious threats to human health.
E-waste in African Context
The development of ICT in emerging economies, particularly Africa, depends mostly on second-hand or refurbished EEEs, most of which are imported without prior testing for their functionality and hence are mostly full of junk. Hence e-waste serves as an entirely new economic sector which offers business opportunities revolving around trading, repairing, and regaining materials for sale. Improper disposal and recycling of e-waste is particularly drastic in Africa where environmental monitoring and regulatory enforcement are relatively weak. This is because there is a lack of adequate infrastructure to manage waste safely in such contexts and hence the wastes are buried, burnt in the open air, or dumped into the surface landfills. The lack of regulations and lax enforcement to control the movement of e-waste into African countries have also promoted the growth of informal e-waste operations. The improper management of e-waste at its end-of-life leads to the depletion of raw materials and pollution of the environment.
The dumping of e-waste in Africa allows electronic manufacturers in the developed world to evade their responsibilities regarding the proper management of the end-of-life of products they put on the market. EPR is therefore gradually becoming a necessary policy in Africa due to the increasing level of transboundary movement of e-waste into these countries and the lack of facilities for their proper treatment.
Below are some of the reasons why there is a large informal processing of e-waste in Africa:
- Waste is viewed as a resource and income-generating opportunity.
- Waste collection and disposal services cost more (a higher proportion of the average income) than in developed nations.
- There is a reluctance to pay for waste recycling and disposal services; Consumers would rather sell their broken devices to make money out of it.
- There is a lack of awareness among consumers, collectors, and recyclers of the potential hazards of WEEE, backyard recycling.
- There are no or insufficient formal recycling facilities
There is a need for health risk assessments to be done to analyze the consequences of inappropriate management of e-waste with the results being made publicly available coupled with awareness creation among these informal recyclers and the general public.
It is also noted that some e-waste is exported illegally under the guise of second-hand equipment.
Source:https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42452-022-04962-9/figures/1
E-waste impact in Africa
Environmental impact
The pollutants released into the environment during improper treatment of e-waste are mostly toxic and cancerous. These pollutants have been found in elevated levels in dust, soils, and vegetation including edible plants. There has also been the observation of heavy metal concentrations in downstream aquatic and marine environments which causes adverse marine contamination. These contaminants can be linked to e-waste operations. E-waste processing also has the potential to impact the ozone layer and climate change through open burning since CO2 is also released. The increasing levels of atmospheric industrial POPs have been associated with the e-waste problem.
Human Health
The toxins released into the environment bioaccumulate in human tissues which have been tested and found in some e-waste workers and people living around such surroundings. The health impacts of these toxins include genotoxic, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruptors, etc. People who are directly involved in the e-waste processing mostly face health issues such as physical injuries, respiratory tract symptoms, headaches, body pains, stomach discomfort, etc.
Economic and Social Impact
Despite the negative impact of e-waste operations in Africa, there are other socio-economic benefits of this sector. For instance, the use of second-hand and repairable electronic equipment allowed individuals and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to purchase inexpensive yet vital electronics and IT equipment, thus helping socio economic development. Also, informal e-waste recycling has served as a major source of livelihood for many poor communities in Africa. For instance, Ghana´s Agbogbloshie center which is known as the biggest e-waste site in Sub-Saharan Africa creates about 4000-6000 direct jobs and thus supports strong economic opportunities.
Challenges in Managing E-Waste
The absence of infrastructure for appropriate waste management, absence of legislation dealing specifically with e-waste, lack of enforcement of existing regulations, and absence of framework for end of life (EoL) product take-back, etc. are some of the factors that prevent effective and proper e-waste management. Getting accurate data on e-waste is difficult since this type of waste extends across several industry sectors, and it is a relatively new focus of environmental concern on a global scale. In addition, the lack of awareness of the risks involved in such operations, lack of knowledge on better practices, and the lack of access to investment capital to finance the improvement of the operations are some of the factors making it impossible for people to manage e-waste adequately and safely. Current technologies that can ensure the proper management of such waste are mostly not cost effective and as such many resort to manual operations.