E-Waste in West Africa: Beyond Environmental and Health Risks

Abstract

The urgency of the problem of electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) is evident worldwide; however, some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are shouldering a disproportionate burden of a global problem without having the requisite capacity and the technology to deal with it. E- waste contains hazardous substances such as lead, mercury, and hazardous chemicals, such as brominated flame retardants, which are hazardous to the environment, humans, and flora and fauna, if not disposed of properly. The increasing desire to bridge the digital divide coupled with poverty in West African countries have encouraged the thriving market and demand for e-waste.

 This paper highlights the problem of e-waste in West Africa and the fact that the challenges and impacts of e-waste go beyond environmental and health risks. It emphasizes the myriad issues and challenges of regulating and governing the menace of e-waste in West Africa. The paper concludes with several recommendations on how West African countries, as a region and as individual countries, can address the challenges and menace of e-waste, while seeking for avenues to tap into its economic potentials.