United Nations Radio

Moves to deal with the growing worldwide mountain of discarded electronics have been discussed at a conference in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. It's thought that more than 40 million tons of so-called e-waste is produced each year, a figure that is set to grow as more computers, mobile phones and other electronic items are thrown away. From Nairobi, Bryan Coll reports.

NARRATOR: Kenya is set to become the first country in East Africa to take legal action on electronic waste. The move comes after a national conference held at the United Nations Environment Programme in Nairobi on Tuesday. Software companies, phone manufacturers and the Kenyan government met to find new ways to deal with the growing problem of electronic waste, or e-waste. In Kenya and the rest of the developing world the amount of discarded computers, televisions and mobile telephones is growing fast. When dumped, these products can release toxic matter like lead and mercury, posing a risks to human health and the environment.

Participants at the Nairobi conference agreed to promote the "4Rs" of e-waste: reduce, refurbish, re-use and recycle. Benjamin Langwen is from Kenya's National Environment Management Authority.

LANGWEN: It's an imaging problem, especially as far as management is concerned. And given the economy of the country, it's going to grow. We're likely to have mass production, mass consumption and mass disposal, so we must come up with measures to contain that before it is too late.

NARRATOR:  A recent UNEP report found that worldwide e-waste production is growing by 40 million tons each year. In the developing world, the amount of e-waste is set to triple by 2015. UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner says new legislation can help tackle the problem.

STEINER: We know that we have an exponentially growing amount of electronic waste beginning to hit not only our houses, households and economies, but also ultimately when people dispose of them, we have a major challenge. What will we do with that growing e-waste mountain? And it is now a significant mountain, and it is projected to grow exponentially over the coming decade. And that is the reason why the United Nations Development Program has focused together with international instruments such as the Basil Convention in first of all drawing attention to this issue and secondly to work rapidly both in the international and national legislative level to try and put the right policies in place.

NARRATOR:  The Nairobi conference also discussed opportunities connected with e-waste, and how more recycling of old products can create new jobs in developing countries. At present, Kenya has no specific laws on e-waste. The recommendations from the Nairobi conference could now pave the way towards the first legislation of its kind in the region.
Brian Coll, UN Radio.

Producer: Brian Coll
Duration: 2'27"