CC image courtesy of Alex Proimos on Flickr
Safaricom has launched a campaign to educate the Kenyan public on the right way to dispose of electronic waste, as well warning of the effects incorrect disposal has on the environment.
The campaign, which will extend over a five week period, will collect e-waste in more than 120 residential areas in Nairobi, with statistics from the company indicating mobile phones, personal computers and printers remain the biggest generators of e-waste.
Over the past year, of the 17,350 tonnes of e-waste generated in Kenya over 3,150 tonnes were from the three products.
Safaricom, which launched a mop up campaign last year, said the new crusade is meant to boost the culture of safe and responsible e-waste disposal in the country.
According to Safaricom director of corporate affairs Nzioka Waita the initiative should encourage a multi-sectoral approach to tackle the problem.
“It is unfortunate that as we endeavour to become a more industrialised country and adopt ICT in all sectors of our economy, we are generating a lot more e-waste, which in many ways erodes some of the benefits that we should be enjoying,” he said.
The initiative comes as the government plans on drafting legislation to guide the disposal of e-waste, which is currently guided by simple guidelines.
“We are now in the process of developing and implementing legislation on the disposal of electronic and electrical waste that will ensure that the environment is safeguarded and the rise in cancer and other non-communicable diseases is put in check,” said deputy director in charge of environmental educations and awareness at the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA), Betty Nzioka.
Kenya is expected to generate more electronic waste as more and more Kenyans obtain electronic products.
“Our e-waste programme involves collection and storage of old electronics (phones, laptops and related accessories) through Safaricom retail shops and handing them over to a certified e-waste recycler. We urge all Kenyans to dispose of theire-waste in the right way through Safaricom shops”, Nzioka said.
The collected e-waste will be handed over to the Waste Electricals and Electronic Equipment Centre (WEEE) for disposal within the provisions of the draft e-waste guidelines set by the NEMA
