Africa expected to overtake Europe in e-waste generation by 2017 – Report
Africa is set to outstrip Europe in the volumes of e-waste it generates within five years, the AFP has reported citing experts on the matter.
The continent is seen as a dumping ground for used electronic goods from developed countries.
“One study suggests Africa will generate more e-waste than Europe by 2017,” Katharina Kummer Peiry, Executive Secretary of the Basel Convention on hazardous waste, told reporters on the sidelines at the just-ended Pan-African Forum on E-Waste at the UN environment agency in Nairobi, according to the publication.
It also quoted Miranda Amachree of Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency as saying “At the current rate … by 2017 we’ll be faced with so much e-waste — even more than in the EU.”
The two major contributing factors are population growth and increased availability of mobile phones, computers and accessories, the experts said.
By Ekow Quandzie
This sounds like an opportunity for Africa to create and be at the forefront of a new industry — E-WASTE RECYCLING; which would create jobs while cleaning up the e-waste; possibly reclaim some of the coltan and other components and re -sell -use them. Also, it’s time for the leadership to stop allowing Africa to be a dumping ground of any waste from abroad. It’s scary.