from ARNOLD MULENGA in Lusaka, Zambia
Zambia Bureau
LUSAKA, (CAJ News) – ZAMBIA has received assistance from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and Saudi Arabia to manage its electronic waste effectively.
ITU is providing technical assistance while the Communications, Space and Technology Commission of Saudi Arabia is financing the implementation of an extended producer responsibility (EPR) system for post-consumer electronics based on Zambia’s sound regulatory framework.
Felix Mutati, Minister of Science and Technology, confirmed the arrangement late Tuesday but the financial commitments were not disclosed.
“Through the identification, engagement, coordination and capacity-building of stakeholders, this project aims to provide Zambia with the building blocks for the management of e-waste in a circular economy, using EPR as a foundation,” he said.
The support from ITU and Saudi Arabia aligns with Zambia’s Environmental Management Act (EMA) of 2011/ A provision of the legal instrument requires the implementation of EPR.
“However, since 2011 when the EMA was enacted, article 58 (1) has neither been implemented nor its administrative and financing mechanism elaborated to provide for any specific obligations for producers e.g. manufacturers, importers, distributors and resellers,” Mutati explained.
The government has noted that the increasing uptake of electronic devices has brought significant environmental challenges to the disaster-prone country.
Mutati disclosed that the 2022 National Survey on Access and Usage of ICTs in Zambia revealed that 44 percent of respondents had disposed of electronic gadgets, mostly through improper means.
According to ResearchGate lack of proper recycling facilities, inadequate regulations, widespread informal disposal practices, limited awareness about e-waste dangers, and a lack of funding for proper e-waste management infrastructure.
It recommends that the government develop a comprehensive e-waste management policy, increase public awareness, develop recycling infrastructure and strengthen the capacity of regulatory bodies.
– CAJ News