Chapter 10 Regional E-waste Status and Trends
Africa
UNU estimates that in 2016, domestic e-waste and recycled by the formal sector in Africa. Only a generation in Africa was approximately 2.2 Mt, with handful of countries in the continent have enacted contributions from Egypt (0.5 Mt), South Africa and e-waste-specific policies and legislation. Recycling Algeria (each 0.3 Mt) ranking highest. The top three activities are dominated by ill-equipped informal African countries that have the highest e-waste sectors, with related inefficient resource recovery generation per inhabitant are: Seychelles (11.5 kg/ and environmental pollution. Most African inh), Libya (11 kg/inh), and Mauritius (8.6 kg/inh). countries are currently developing various models Currently, little information is available on the of EPR schemes as part of their solution to the amount of e-waste documented that is collected e-waste problem.
The African continent hosts the least number officially being enforced for e-waste control by the of direct manufacturers of EEEs, yet it carries a country’s environment regulatory agency. E-waste significant burden of contribution to the global imports are prohibited by this regulation, and e-waste problem, generating about 2.2 Mt annually its enforcement has resulted in the repatriation from domestic output. Most of this is derived from of several illegal e-waste shipments that arrived imports of new and used equipment, and a few in Nigeria stuffed in second-hand vehicles or local assembly plants. Locally derived generation other containers; for more information, see the is believed to constitute about 50% to 85% of chapter on transboundary movement in this total e-waste generation, the rest being from the report11. The Kenya E-waste Act, which still awaits transboundary illegal import from developed official approval before public dissemination, countries in the Americas and Europe, and from has as one of its highlights that no company will China (Secretariat of the Basel Convention, 2011). manufacture or import any EEE without indicating Annual domestic generation in Egypt (0.5 Mt), where its e-waste will be treated at end-of-life. The South Africa and Algeria (each 0.3 Mt) rank highest Ghana legislation prohibits imports and exports in the region. However, some of the continent’s of e-waste, phases out the inclusion of printed smaller but richer countries (Seychelles, Mauritius) circuit boards in electronic equipment, provides generate 11.5 kg/inh and 8.6 kg/inh respectively, for the registration of manufacturers, importers, in comparison to the African average of 1.9 kg/inh and distributors, as well as the establishment and world average of 6.1 kg/inh. Local generation of an e-waste management fund to be achieved of e-waste is expected to rise in the future with the through payment of an advance eco-fund by penchant for consumption of foreign goods and manufacturers, importers, and distributors. the quest for comfort associated with consumer Draft bills and regulations of many other African goods. countries incorporate several of these features.
Most African countries are now aware of and Based on these previous mentioned initiatives, concerned with the dangers inherent to poor governments in many African countries have management of e-waste. However, the legal and begun showing increasing concerns and interest infrastructural framework for achieving sound in adopting comprehensive and integrated management still remains far from realised in approaches to solving the e-waste problem. Such the majority of countries. Only very few countries approaches will integrate the informal sector into (including Uganda and Rwanda) have any formal the official management structures, establish take- official government policy documents specific to back schemes, Extended Producer Responsibility e-waste management. In addition, despite the fact (EPR), and Producer Responsibility Organisations that almost all African countries have ratified the (PROs) schemes. In this regard, many countries Basel Convention, most have not domesticated are currently receiving advisory, technical, and this in the form of appropriate legislations for financial support from several UN agencies, other various waste streams. As yet, only Madagascar development agencies, the private sector, and (2015), Kenya (2016), and Ghana (2016) have especially from the alliance of Original Equipment formally passed a draft of e-waste bills into law. Manufacturers (OEMs) in Africa. Several other countries (South Africa, Zambia, Cameroon, and Nigeria) are still working to achieve The government of Egypt partnered with the this in parliament. In Nigeria, the draft is already Sustainable Recycling Industries (SRI) in a
60 10. Regional - Africa 5 . .