A Non-Governmental Organisation, E-Waste Relief Foundation (ERF), has revealed that Lagos State accounts for about 40% of the over 1million tonnes of e-waste annually generated in Nigeria.
The organisation however called on the Federal Government to create enabling environment to help professional electronic waste recyclers thrive and contribute to the national economy.
The NGO made the appeal at a capacity enhancement programme to enlighten electronic retailers, manufacturers and other stakeholders in Yaba, Lagos recently.
Speaking at the programme, the President, E-Waste Relief Foundation, Ifeanyi Ochonogo said the Nigerian government should begin to see the need in supporting the growth of the industry considering the increasing rate of electronic wastes in major cities like Lagos.
Ochonogo also appealed to the government to include electronic waste recycling into the national curriculum. “E-waste will be the next good thing to happen to revenue generation for the country if embraced,” he said.
In addition, he said, “E-waste has a lot of benefits and can bring a lot of money into our economy, it can create jobs and has export opportunities.
“There are a lot of valuable materials in a lot of these devices that had been used and kept aside, the problem is how to unravel values in them.
“Electronic waste recycling is a crucial way of boosting the economy if we take advantage of all the spoilt and out of use electronic devices around us.”
Ochonogo advised members of the public to desist from burning electronic devices without the proper knowledge of handling them, as they contain toxic substances capable of poisoning the human, ecosystem and the environment at large.
“Cancer causes the majority of deaths and cancer is mostly from e-waste when you consider the number of films used to manufacture the electronic products people inhale, especially when electronic materials are burnt. It is dangerous,” he concluded.
Also, Vice President of the organisation, Stephen Amos, said it was disheartening that these electronic wastes that ought to be advantageous to us are becoming a menace.
Amos who stated that over a million tons of electronic waste are being generated across the country also gave that 40% of Nigeria’s e-waste is generated in Lagos.
He however questioned why the government has not created an avenue for local e-waste recyclers to export the wastes.
He noted that countries like China are already taking advantage of 3Rs which are: Reducing, Recycling and Reusing electronic wastes for creating jobs and improving the lives of the citizens.
Amos added that the programme was organised to transfer knowledge electronic waste to stakeholders and the benefits it portends in job creation, especially exportation.
One of the participants at the training, Mr. Dada Adeyinka, Sectary General of Computer and Telecommunication Engineering Association of Nigeria believes that government intervention in trainings such as this will increase income and boost the economy of the nation.
“ERF has done a great job by organising such a training. I am happy to note at the training that it is not about making profits from electronic waste alone, we were also enlightened about the hazards of mishandling e-waste materials.
“Most of us in Nigeria, technicians especially, don’t have a single idea of the many hazards relating to the obsolete materials we mishandle.
“When we have more Trainings like the one ERF gave us on a platter, it will increase our income and boost the economy of the Nation.
“Now I know that the way we dismantle electronic gadgets can damage our eyes and also we need to put on hand gloves to avoid contact with the bacteria in components. I appreciate the organizers of this training and it will be more appreciated if we can have more of this type of trainings by the government for continuity, he said.
