At least 38 million Kenyans will today replace phone batteries they bought two years ago, but they have no place to dispose of the used gadgets.
expired ones- probably in their dustbins, street, garden or even in a water body
According to a recent survey by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), Kenya generates over 44,000 tonnes of e-waste annually. Latest Communications Authority of Kenya data put mobile penetration at 88.1per cent, meaning that at least 38.5 million Kenyans own a mobile phone. This figure could be higher considering that some people own more than one handset.
Besides posing environmental challenges, a study released by Science Direct shows that hazardous compounds found in e-waste have strong neuro-developmental and neuro-behavioural effects, especially in children.
It indicated that chemicals found in electric waste are associated with decreased intelligence and impaired cognitive functioning
Yet, Kenyan government seem not to care. E-waste draft Bill 2013 has been cooling parliamentary shelves for the past five years and it is not even a priority for the 12th parliament that took office late last year.
Some of the proposals in the draft Bill included a the formation of an electrical and electronic registry by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to capture amount and details of electrical equipment entering the country every year in order to curb entry of low lifespan products in the country.
According to CA, the high rate of e-waste accumulation in Kenya is caused by the influx of cheap short life products mainly from Asian countries. In 2016 for example, $15.5 billion (Sh1.5 trillion) worth of Chinese phones were shipped into the country
The Bill also wanted producers of electric materials within their relevant product category and on the basis of their market share support the financing of collection and treatment for problematic fractions by the licenced treatment facility to ensure effective take back and treatment of e-waste.
Currently, no mobile phone company has a recycling or take back programme in Kenya, despite most mobile handsets in the market having life shelves of not more than two years.
In India and China, mobile phone firms are forced to buy back expired or damaged phones from their customers for recycling purposes, thereby minimizing dumping of e-waste.
Huawei director of public affairs Adam Lane however said that it is hard to implement the take back programme in Kenya due to tough logistical challenges, considering that there is a thriving second hand mobile phone market in the country
''There is no second hand mobile phone market in China. All new purchases are done on line hence easy to locate buyers for take-back after expiry. We are willing to take part in minimizing e-waste in Kenya,'' said Lane.
Reached for comment by phone, ICT Minister Joe Mucheru said they were holding talks with manufactures, on setting up plants in Kenya to discourage cheap imports.
