The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) with support from Association for Progressive Communications (APC) has raised awareness about the dangers of electronic waste (e-waste) in Nigeria and called on relevant stakeholders to address the challenge.
During a stakeholders’ meeting held on Monday, the ICT-based organization stated that the proliferation of e-waste across the country is a menace that could lead to serious problems if allowed to persist.
E-waste comprises discarded electrical and electronic equipment and appliances, such as televisions and radios, computers, and mobile phones.
In his remarks, the Executive Director of CITAD, Dr. Y.Z Ya’u, urged governments and other stakeholders to prioritize the recycling of e-waste instead of indiscriminately dumping it.
According to Dr. Ya’u, dumping e-waste consumes a significant amount of space that could otherwise be used for vital infrastructure.
He suggested solutions to e-waste, including establishing recycling systems, supporting waste disposal organizations, raising awareness about the dangers of e-waste, and conducting research on how to transform the waste into useful items.
“Transforming e-waste into other useful products will not only protect the health of the population but will also create jobs for young people,” he said.
The CITAD boss also recommended harnessing non-extractive natural resources such as sunlight and wind to generate energy, while also suggesting the use of bamboo trees to construct towers, such as communication towers, instead of using steel.
“This is because the mineral resources that we extract to make steel and other products will one day deplete since we are not the ones who put them in the ground. So, there is a need to reverse linear consumption,” he said.
Auwal Yunusa, an expert on e-waste and CEO of Hero Ventures, stated that figures have shown that the growth of e-waste could reach up to 74.5 billion tons by 2030 globally.
“E-waste can pose serious health dangers if not properly disposed of because they contain hazardous elements such as lead, mercury, and cadmium.
“Lead can cause health issues related to the nervous system, and objects containing cadmium turn into poisonous substances when kept in one place for an extended period,” Mr. Yunusa said.
“These materials can also pollute the environment and damage the ecosystem, degrading plants and harming water bodies, which in turn affect plants, animals, and trigger climate issues,” he added.
The expert also pointed out that Nigeria has the largest collection of secondhand goods, which increases the burden of e-waste in the country.
