I am assuming that you have probably never thought of the existence of such a thing called e-waste. In the modern, this is a type of waste that we see daily. If you have a broken TV or spoilt VCR player, then you, my friend are harbouring waste in your household. E-waste or electronic waste is one of the largest threats we have in our world today. To curb this threat, the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) together with the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) launched the first National E-waste Management centre for Uganda in 2021.  According to the Global E-waste Monitor Report 2020 by the United Nations, the e-waste generated in Uganda was estimated at 17,000 tonnes in 2018. 

E-waste or electronic waste means any discarded electrical or electronic devices or components. Whenever an electronic or electrical component or device whose working life has expired or been damaged or is no longer used by people due to technological advancements, comes under e-waste. E-waste can include household appliances, IT equipment, phones, toys, tools, batteries etc. One of the largest e-waste dump sites in Africa is in Ghana, Accra and is said to be one of the most toxic areas in Africa. According to reports, many Ghanaians collect said waste as a means to make a living, breaking these items apart to collect precious materials from within such as copper and metal as a form of recycling. 

Surprisingly most of the e-waste within Africa comes from developed countries in form of appliances that can be reused and fixed. With this said, we cannot ignore that E-waste is a waste problem that needs immediate solving. 

HARMFUL EFFECTS OF E-WASTE.

E-waste is a form of hazardous waste and as we have discussed recently hazardous waste is any waste that is harmful to us as human beings. Its effects extend also to the land, the air and even the water that one may drink. Below are a few threats we must look out for. 

a) E-waste contains toxic materials like mercury, lithium, lead, barium, etc. that cause harmful effects on the health of humans.

b) If e-waste is disposed of on the land, it can contaminate the soil and underlining water. Once the soil has been contaminated, it will lose its productivity. There is also a high risk that crops may absorb these toxins causing plants to absorb toxins.

c) It causes air pollution. As aforementioned, e-waste most especially in Africa is recycled. Metals and copper are removed by breaking said appliances apart through melting, dismantling and shredding. This releases fine dust particles or toxic gases that can travel thousands of miles, cause air pollution, and harm living things.

HOW CAN WE MANAGE E-WASTE?

i) Much of the damaged waste is recyclable like mobile, calculators, laptops, etc. Instead of throwing them like these away, repairing them saves material and reduces E-waste as well.

ii)Reuse the equipment which is still functioning to reduce E-waste.

iii)It’s easy to see waste and simply throw it away. E-waste on the other hand can be reused, resold or donated. 

iv) A person can give the Electronic Waste to a Certified E-Waste Recycler where proper recycling methods are used to refurbish the old product into the new one.

v) Purchase environmentally friendly products. 

METHODS OF DISPOSING OF E-WASTE.

a) LANDFILLS 

This is the practice of digging a massive hole in the ground and filling it with waste and then covering it back up with soil. Pits are lined with clay or plastic to prevent toxic waste from leaking into the surrounding environment. While this is the intention, some substances such as lead, and mercury inevitably find their way into the soil and groundwater, causing contamination.

b) INCINERATION 

This disposal method involves burning the waste in an extremely high-temperature incinerator. This specific method can significantly reduce the volume of waste. Unfortunately, like any burning process, burning the components which make up electronic waste produces vast quantities of toxic gasses which are released into the atmosphere.

c) RECYCLING 

We have mentioned recycling once or twice in this article and this is one of the best ways to dispose of e-waste. E-waste recycling techniques can recover precious metals from circuit boards and be melted down to make new devices or used for other products such as jewellery.

d) ACID BATH

This involves the soaking of electronic waste in solutions such as hydrochloric and sulphuric solutions. The aim of this is to separate metal from electronic pathways. 

“Globally, an estimated 50 million tons of e-waste is produced annually.”

-Anonymous