ALMOST on daily basis, Original Equipments Manufacturers’, OEMS, churn out upgrades of existing model as well as the latest technological enhanced models of their products to developing and emerging countries in Africa, especially Nigeria bcause of population and love for luxury goods accumulation.
However, most Nigerians do purchase these things, drop the old ones and move on. At other times, replace the faulty products and abandon them in the store, thereby resulting in eletronic waste(e- waste).
Electronic waste is a term for electronic products that have become unwanted, non-working or obsolete, and have essentially reached their shelf life. But because technology advances at such a high rate, many electronic devices become “trash” after a few short years of
use.In developed countries, the United States of America, for instance, has means of rcycling Information and Techology produts ranging from television, computers, mobile phones and wearables. Unfortunately, Nigeria through Waste Management Agency is still struggling to clear , dispose and recycle ‘normal’ waste. Dump sites in Ojota, Oshodi and Igando-Idimu bear witnesses of mangled casings and engines. But in developed countries, these products , if they are too old, too broken to donate are recycled.
Although, a telecommunications expert, Nwankwo Chidiebere disclosed that developed countries are the bane of our worries in emerging markets because many of their recyclers simply export the old products, and dump them on developing nations.
On the health implications, a consultant at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Dr Sunday Ogundele disclosed that people are prone to cancer and various diseases if e-waste are not properly managed.
“To a large extent, it is a wake-up call and I think, all tiers of government should look into this and address the situation as a matter of urgency,” he said.
On his part, Portugal based, Dr Mustapha Ojo noted that recycling of e-waste would be a novel idea in the country,saying, “The current handling of e-waste through shredding, burning and dismantling have both health and environmental implications. People are being exposed to toxic metals resulting from open air burning of e-waste products. This magnifies health risk and depletion of ozone layer.
“However, recycling will reduce these impacts and will enable Nigeria to embrace climate accord signed in Paris on Saturday. It will also serve as a means of employment”.
Another stakeholder , Ibiyemi Ofose also lamented that most of these products are refurbished and are dumped in Nigeria.
She said: “ Government should also look into this issue and come with a policy that will either ban refurbished IT propducts or hike the tariff like the controversial auto policy to discourage influx of these products”. Adding that Nigeria needs a recycler who will manage these electronics waste in order to rid the country of environmental hazard.
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