An official from NEMA speaks during the recent awards to local firms for their proactive efforts to promote environmental protection and preservation
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I The quantities of electronic waste (e-waste) in Uganda have been increasing exponentially over the last 20 years, and this trend is likely to continue if appropriate interventions are not undertaken, officials have warned.
E-waste is composed of electronic products that are unwanted, not working, or nearing or at the end of their useful life. Common among these are computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, fax machines, among others.
“From 2001 to 2020, about 1.3 million tonnes of e-waste were generated in Uganda,” said the Auditor General in a recent report.
He pointed out that they are dominant categories of e-waste, which include screens, monitors and equipment containing screens; large equipment (excluding photovoltaic panels); and temperature exchange equipment accounting for nearly 83% of this waste.
“However, the most dominant categories of e-waste have kept changing over the years. This is a worrying trend which needs to be altered,” he said in his report to parliament for the financial year ending June 30th 2022.
The report further pointed out that the strategy for implementation of E-Waste 2013-2018 had 8 strategic objectives with a total of 84 performance indicators.
“Out of the 84 indicators, only 3 indicators were fully implemented (4%), 7 indicators were partially implemented (8%) and 74 were not implemented (88%),” it says.
It further stated that although NEMA had incorporated e-waste related issues into the National Environment Act, 2019 and the National Waste Management Regulations, 2020, review of the E-waste Policy by the ministry of ICT and National Guidance (MoICT&NG) was still on-going, over five years after its expected completion date (2016).
“This has delayed alignment of government interventions to keep abreast with the rapid changes in technological innovation, evolution of the nature and patterns of e-waste, and best practices in e-waste management,” warned the Auditor General.
The report said the MoICT&NG did not conduct comprehensive baseline surveys, mainly due to a failure by the e-waste management strategy to clearly define the purpose and scope of a baseline study.
“Absence of detailed baseline studies resulted in inadequate interventions and lack of coherence in management and reporting on e-waste.”
It says: “Evidence to this is the acutely inadequate targets for e-waste collection and management, absence of any clear basis or strategy for e-waste prioritisation and contradictions in values of e-waste computed by various ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).”
It further pointed out that for most of the audit period, no company or individual had been licensed to handle electronic waste.
“As such, most government entities kept their waste on site, while others used unlicensed handlers to dispose of it. In November 2021, however, three firms were licensed by NEMA to transport e-waste,” he said, adding that an e-waste collection and management facility has been set up by the National Enterprise Corporation in Bugolobi.
Whereas the Government has expressed commitment to promoting, among other things, sound management of hazardous chemicals and e-waste, through enactment of an E-waste Policy (2012) and E-waste Strategy (2013), there is scanty up-to-date information on the quantities and types of waste generated.
“This limits the effectiveness of any planned interventions. Evidence for this is the increasing pollution rates.”
Currently in Uganda, the list of home appliances that make up e-waste include microwaves, home entertainment devices, electric cookers, heaters and fans.
In the category of communications and information technology devices are cell phones, smartphones, desktop computers, computer monitors, laptops, circuit boards and hard drives
Home entertainment devices that degenerate into e-waste include DVDs, televisions, video game systems, fax machines, copiers, printers, while electronic utilities include massage chairs, heating pads, remote controls, electrical cords, lamps, smart lights, night lights, treadmills, smart watches, heart monitors and diabetic testing equipment.
