Techno-economic assessment of e-waste management system in southwestern, Nigeria

Authors

  • Ali, G. A Dept. of Agricultural Engineering Technology, Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State
  • Okpara, Ifeanyi Dept. of Mechanical Engineering Technology, Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State

Abstract

The fastest growing waste stream is electronic waste especially in developing economies. About 80% of this waste is brought to Asia and Africa for possible disposal by the industrialized countries. In Nigeria, due to quest for new electronic devices and equipment most of these wastes find their ways into the country. Also, large percentage of this imported electronics are not serviceable thereby contributing to the municipal waste. The compositions of this e-waste are categorized into hazardous and non-hazardous. The hazardous substances from the e-waste pose as a threat to human health and agricultural soils; while non-hazardous contains precious metals that can be recycled for economic benefits. This study therefore examines the e-waste management system available in southwestern Nigeria taking into consideration the techno-economic values. With the aid of personal interviews, on-spot assessment and content analysis, a number of challenges were established. It was observed that there is no formal system for managing this e-waste in southwestern Nigeria. However, the study proposed a framework for sustainable e-waste management system.

References

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Published

2017-12-20