We have all been at once victims of unused electronics in our homesteads, work places, gardens, roads and among other areas. Examples of electronic waste (e-waste) include, but not limited to: household appliances (such as refrigerators, freezers, microwave ovens, cleaning equipment like vacuum cleaners, flat irons); consumer electronics (such as radios, TVs, cameras, musical instruments); lighting equipment in homes and work areas; toys or sporting leisure equipment; medical devices-cardiology radiology and dialysis equipment; monitoring and control instruments such as smoke detectors, thermostats and the IT and telecommunication equipment (personal computers, printers, photocopiers, telephones, modems, routers…) and among others that are no longer wanted, not functional or obsolete.
Sometimes these can cause external injuries while others which are hazardous (like including beryllium, cadmium, mercury, and lead) can cause internal injuries—all harmful to our health. At the same time such waste affects the environment because they cannot decompose. But this will soon be no more, thanks to the government of Uganda through The National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), UPDF’s commercial arm-Luwero Industries Ltd (LIL) (a subsidiary of the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC)), and as well Uganda Communications Commission (UCC).
Other stakeholders include Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and Uganda Revenue Authority (URA). In their wisdom, the stakeholders on Thursday 10th June, 2021 launched a national electronic waste (e-waste) management center to address the growing concern over the environment and security risk posed by the improper disposal of these electronic devices.
Public institutions, the general public and the private sector shall be required to transfer the E-waste to the centre located at 6th Street, Bugolobi, Kampala. Transportation to the national e-waste collection centre shall be handled by licensed transporters to the national e-waste centre.
Speaking at the launch, NEMA ED, Dr Tom O. Okurut observed that the trend in technology advancement is that newer, improved and more advanced versions of most electronic equipment are developed every now and then, within short intervals, sometimes of just a few months. Secondly for most electronic equipment; it is more effective to purchase a replacement when a particular gadget becomes faulty.
He says it is for these reasons that electronic waste has become one of the fastest growing waste streams worldwide and Uganda with Uganda not spared in terms of the impacts of this waste.
“Today most E-waste is being discarded together with other waste streams such as domestic waste. However, there are environmental concerns associated with the end-of-life and waste from electric and electronic equipment (EEE). It is a fact that E-waste contains hazardous components, including beryllium, cadmium, mercury, and lead and therefore must be handled and treated cautiously. Improper disposal of E-waste poses environmental, health, safety and security risks; and can lead to pollution of our soil, air and water with undesirable chemicals,” he pointed out.
To be specific, the reasons behind the decision to set up a national E-waste collection centre includes: Rapidly increasing E-waste volumes, both domestically generated as well as through importation; lack of accurate estimates of the quantity of E-waste generated and recycled; Low level of awareness amongst manufacturers and consumers of the hazards of incorrect E-waste disposal; and widespread informal E-waste recycling using rudimentary techniques such as acid leaching and open air burning that result in severe environmental damage.
Okurut says the success of the National E-waste Collection Center will inform a decision to establish other centres countrywide in the near future.
“As we launch the first National E-waste Management center for Uganda, my appeal is for all stakeholders to devotedly support the facility so that the country can realize effective and sustainable E-waste management. I further urge the Central Government, regional and local administrative units to provide resources to support E-waste collection.
The dangers caused by poor E-waste management, demands for deliberate efforts from the general public, private sector and government. The established national E-waste management facility provides an opportunity for a coordinated mechanism in dealing with this potential threat and therefore needs to be supported,” Okurut further made this clarion call.
LUWERO INDUSTRIES SCOPE
At the launch, Gen Sabiiti Muzeyi, general manager of Luwero Industries, was represented by his deputy, Maj. Gen Innocent Oula.
In his speech, which was read by Oula, Sabiiti elaborated that NEC shall collect, sort, dismantle and dispose of the waste.
“The e-waste management centre shall be the main and pivotal e-waste management facility in the country managed by the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) with oversight, regulation and coordination by the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA). In the short and medium term, the facility shall collect, sort, dismantle and dispose at LIL waste disposal/treatment facility, which already has the relevant expertise. The centre shall, with time, eventually progress towards refurbishment and recycling. To ensure efficiency and working with the other stakeholders, regional collection centres shall be established to supplement the national e-waste management centre,” Sabiiti said.
Sabiiti hastened to add that this is not NEC-LIL’s pilot project in e-waste management revealing that since 2002, the army’s business arm has received, treated and disposed of both hazardous and non-hazardous waste with an annual average of 500 Metric tonnes. In addition to these waste streams, NEC-LIL has treated and disposed of waste from Oil and Gas operations.
“NEC-LIL has already put in place SOPs for the management and transportation and safe disposal of E-waste. Sufficient legal framework is in place to ensure safe and sustainable management of electronic waste (E-waste management Policy 2012, E-Waste Management Strategic Plan 2016, etc). There also exists the National e-waste Steering Committee that brings together the relevant and necessary synergies for the sustainable management of e-waste,” he added.
For the successful and sustainable management of e-waste, Sabiiti implored all Ugandans to cooperate.
FUNDING MECHANISM
In accordance with the institutional framework guided by the national e-waste management policy and strategy in Uganda, the initial provision of funds to run the facility shall be solicited from the various institutions with a key stake in the e-waste management value chain.
“However, the e-waste management centre needs to be supported to dedicatedly and sustainably drive the agenda of e-waste management in the country. Bearing in mind the need to manage e-waste at 3 levels; the local government, regional and national level, the budget streams at local government level should support e-waste collection and storage. The establishment and management of the five regional centres shall be the responsibility of the national e-waste management centre. For sustainable management, running and maintenance of the Facility, provision of recycling and refurbishment activities as well as establishment of a mandatory extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme is critical. EPR entails producers and dealers of EEE being part and parcel of the end of life management activities,” NEMA’s ED Tom Okutu explained.
WIDER PICTURE
According to the Global E-waste Monitor Report by the United Nations, in 2018 alone the E-waste generated in Uganda was estimated at 17 million kilotonnes, with a projection of approximately 4.5 million kilotonnes of E-waste per annum to be generated per year from 2018 to 2022.
There is no doubt that electricity and electronics will remain an important factor in our lives for the foreseeable future. Globally, the electric and electronics industry is expected to grow by approximately 6% between 2020 and 2021. It is therefore expected that E-waste will equally grow with this growing industry, not forgetting the accumulated e-waste over the years.
With that in mind, this explains the rationale behind the Government of Uganda’s move to recognize the challenges posed by E-waste. It has developed a legal framework to facilitate sustainable management of electronic waste. These include the National Environment Act, 2019, the National Environment (waste management) Regulations 2020, the E-waste Management Policy 2012, the E-waste Management Strategic Plan, and the E-waste Guidelines 2016.