By Funmi Olasupo

The Federal Government has developed a draft policy and strategic plan for the management of electronic waste (e-waste) in the country. This was disclosed by the Minister of Environment, Mrs Laurentia Mallam at the Consultative Stakeholders’ Workshop on the Management of Electrical and Electronic Waste in Nigeria held recently in Abuja. The workshop was organised by the United Nation Industrial Development Organisation UNIDO in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment and other stakeholders.

Represented by the acting Director, Pollution and Environmental Health Department in the Ministry, Mr Abdul-Kazeem Bayero, Mallam said the Federal Government is determined to address the challenges posed by e-waste.

‘`The Federal Ministry of Environment is determined to avert the environmental hazards of ever increasing toxic heavy metal contained in the electrical/ electronic equipment in our environment.

So far, the Ministry has developed draft policy guidelines and strategic plan on the management of e-waste which are all awaiting ratification by relevant stakeholders. Furthermore, regulations on the management of e-waste have been prepared by the National Environmental Standard Regulation and Enforcement Agency, NESREA, which has been approved and are in force,” she said.

Continuing, the Minister said the Federal Executive Council has” restricted the importation of e-waste products into the country because of the hazardous components of e-waste and lack of capacity to manage it in an environmental sound manner by the informal sector“.

Mallam said Nigeria is a signatory to international conventions and agreements that address chemical management issues, adding that the instruments are responsible for global success in the management of hazardous waste in everyday life.

Her words: ‘It is my expectation that partnership in the field of chemical management especially on the e-waste stream should be strengthened to equip African countries including Nigeria. It should be strengthened with the necessary tools to overcome the challenges of managing the ever increasing quantum of e-waste.“

She explained that, electronic and information technology industry is the largest and fastest growing industry in today’s manufacturing world, which thrives on rapid technology changes, which lead to accelerated discards of older models.

“The discarded older models called e-waste form a rapidly growing waste stream in the world, with the attendant negative environmental and health impacts, find their way through legal and illegal imports into countries in Asia and Africa such as Nigeria.