HP recycling style could help local firm’s manage e-waste

By RAMADHAN RAJAB in ISTANBUL-TURKEY

Though a more universal solution to the growing problem of e-waste is yet to be reached, HP has relaunched its recycling programme campaign.

If the manufacturer’s recycling is anything to go by, the serious environmental and health crisis due to increasing hazardous waste from electronic devices will be no more.

The campaign dubbed HP Planet Partners return and recycling Programme is part of the company’s environmental commitment that will stop their products from ending up in landfills.

If all electronic manufacturers ape this way of responsible production, then the United Nations Environmental Programme (Unep) report published two month ago warning that in 10 years e-waste is set to increase by 400 per cent in Africa and Asia can be cheated.

ANNUAL tonnage

The report detailed that about 40 million tonnes are produced each year, with much of it unaccounted for by electronic wastes estimating that by 2020 in Kenya and Uganda the e-waste menace will have grown four folds.

"Ours is not only to manufacture and distribute, but also account for the final destination of our products, so we may be able to close the loop," Bernhard Bette, HP Manager Laserjet Supplies in Europe Middle East and Africa said.

The HP’s Global return recycle programmes will see consumers of the company’s products return their products especially the cartridges and other hardware to the company after their lifetime elapses.

"What our clients need to do is order postage-paid return shipping materials online, which can be sent to us at no cost," Bette said.

He said that many countries face the specter of hazardous e-waste mountains because of no safe and proper collection of materials. "This has led to dire environmental degradation and public health and that’s why we are closing the loop," he said.

Kenya’s fastest growing segments of total refuse, has exposed her to pollution, with a costly health concern as seen in emergence of new diseases, as well with vagaries of weather blamed for food insecurity.

With unregulated means of disposal, Kenyans have resorted to burning trash as their best and only means of disposing e-waste, not knowing that by doing so, they are releasing toxic chemicals and metals into the air and ground.

Informal dumpsites

This news may be a reprieve to the country that has continued to grapple with the upsurge in e-waste, that end up in the less formal dumping sites which are home to electronic gadgets with lethal toxins.

Experts say exposure to chemicals from e-waste — including lead, cadmium, mercury, chromium and polybrominated biphenyl — could damage the brain and nervous system, affect the kidneys and liver, and cause birth defects.

Last year, the cumulative volume of cartridges returned and recycled reached 177,000 tonnes. HP says over 61 million ink and laserJet cartridges that could have ended up landfills were returned and recycled worldwide in the same year, bringing the total since the programme started five years ago to 320 million tonnes.

"Through HP recycling services that provide an easy way to recycle computer equipment, printing supplies, rechargeable batteries and other items, we influence industry action by setting high environmental standards in our operations and supply chain, and by providing solutions for customers to reduce their impact on climate and support a low-carbon economy," Bette said.