Kenyans have been urged to exercise responsible disposal of electronic waste, (e-waste) as part of environmental conservation.
Marking the International Day of E-Waste in Nairobi, the Safaricom encouraged customers and consumers who have electronics such as phones, computers and radios which they are no longer using, to dispose them at Safaricom shops among other collection centres from where they will be collected and taken for recycling and repurposing.
“Technology has become part and parcel of our lives which means an increased use of devices like phones and computers. When they stop functioning or we have no use for them anymore, it is important to dispose them in a manner which encourages us to recycle and repurpose them as a way of taking care of our environment,” said Sanda Ojiambo, Head of Sustainable Business and Social Impact, Safaricom.
Safaricom is the one of the largest private-sector collectors of e-waste in Kenya and has collected over a thousand tonnes of e-waste since 2015. According to its latest Sustainable Business report, the company collected 217 tonnes of e-waste in their last Financial Year.
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It is estimated that only 20 per cent of global e-waste is recycled each year, leaving 40 million tonnes to be placed in landfills, burned or illegally traded. Much of it consists of hazardous materials such as mercury, cadmium and sulphur.
The consequence is a loss to the supply chain of valuable and critical raw materials, as well as serious health environmental and societal issues.
Meanwhile, Ministry of Environment and Forestry says gadgets which constitute the largest percentage of the country’s electronic waste, should be disposed off responsibly owing to the dangers they pose to the environment.
The gadgets like Mobile phones, computers, personal stereos, fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs, and household appliances such as television sets, refrigerators, washing machines, air conditioners now appear to be the greatest threat to the purity of environment
Speaking during the same celebtions, Ministry of Environment Chief Administrative Secretary Mohammed Elmi called on companies dealing in electronic devices to establish e-waste collection centers as one way of dealing with the menace.
Elmi further noted that proper e-waste management practices will provide opportunities while promoting innovations, creating jobs, and stimulating economic development.
According to the Sustainable Business report, it is estimated that only 20 per cent of global e-waste is recycled each year, leaving 40 million tonnes to be placed in landfills, burned or illegally traded.