African Governments Urged To Address Growing E-Waste
March 23, 2012
The representatives from 18 African states and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) say Africa could have more e-waste than Europe by 2017. That’ not only because of an increase in discarded lap tops, mobile phones and other products from Europe, but to increased demand in Africa for new electronic devices.
Ali D. Mohamed, Kenya’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources, says the problem of e-waste is a real threat.
Electronic waste such as old televisions, computers, radios and cell phones is a growing environmental problem
"Africa’s environmental challenges are growing by the day," he said, "This includes the exponential growth of electronic waste. The numbers of people in our countries are exploding. In Kenya, we now have 40-plus million people, many of whom are urbanizing very rapidly... That means the consumption and production patterns of our society will change very much and we will be using many of the gadgets that will eventually end up as hazardous waste, including the e-waste."
Kenya generates 3,000 tons of electronic waste per year – a figure that is set to rise as demand for electronic goods increases. Mohamed says priority actions for reducing the environmental and health impacts of the growing levels of e-waste are being pursued, alongside promoting the sector’s potential for green jobs and economic development.
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