By Frankline Sunday

Dealers in second hand computers could soon close shop as the campaign to reduce electronic waste in the country goes a notch higher.

The growing concern on how to manage Kenya’s piling mountain of e-waste has prompted a reaction from the second-highest highest office in the country.

Deputy President William Ruto last week called on a more targeted approach to the management of electronic waste as more ICT investments increase pressure on the country’s stockpile of used consumer technology.

“As we all invest heavily in ICT development, we must also think thoroughly on the management of electronic waste that directly results from such investment, “he said.

More critically, he added, the country must reject donations of used computers, which has become an avenue through which e-waste is exported out of the developed world into our countries.

Ruto was speaking at the official opening the 20th edition of the East African Communications Organization congress at KICC. He stated that e-waste was a growing threat to the wellbeing of East African citizens owing to the serious health and environmental hazards caused.

e-waste management

“I urge governments to establish policies, laws and invest in infrastructure to address e-waste management,” he said.

 Kenya, for its part, Ruto said, is developing an environmental management law to provide legislative backing for e-waste management.

In Kenya, second hand computers constitute the majority of units sold in the personal computer market owing to their relatively affordable price with some going for as low as Sh7,000.

Re-fabricated computers popularly known as re-furbs are used units that have been repaired after developing minor complications and are put back on the shelf.

Such units are sold with the label refurbished, re-manufactured, reconditioned or pre-owned and are sold at a fraction of new units.

Exported from the developed countries to developing countries, both used computers and re-furbs however have a shorter lifespan compared to new units and are considered to contribute significantly to increasing the level of e-waste.

According to a report by the United Nation’s Environment Program, increasing domestic consumption of electronic products, coupled with the on-going import of waste electronics into Africa from other regions, means that the continent is set to generate a higher volume of e-waste than Europe by 2017.

organic waste

In 2009, UNEP estimated that Kenya alone generated a total of 7,350 tonnes of e-waste annually. The following year, the figures more than doubled to stand at 17,350 tonnes.

The country, however, lacks sufficient capacity and infrastructure to recycle or properly dispose this growing pile of trash with most consumers disposing their broken or obsolete electronics together with organic waste.

Currently, handset maker Nokia and telephone services provider Safaricom have each established collection  systems for obsolete mobile phones  and the National Environmental Authority, NEMA, is working on a legislation to compel other companies to follow suit.

These are part of a proposal on new e-waste management laws that include revising the Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act and the Procurement and Disposal Act to address e-waste handling in Kenya.

Last week, NEMA, the Communication Commission of Kenya and Safaricom launched a new campaign to set up collection points across the country.