Why e-waste is an investment opportunity

Dar es Salaam. The government has emphasised that electronic waste (e-waste) should not be viewed as a challenge but as a significant investment opportunity to boost the country’s economic growth.

With the rapid growth of technology and an increasing volume of discarded electronics, e-waste presents substantial potential to stimulate economic growth.

Speaking at the ongoing meeting on "Best Practices in E-Waste Pollution Management and Sharing Experiences across HPMP Countries," Mr Nkundwe Mwasaga, Director General of the Information and Communication Technologies Commission (ICTC), stressed the need to tackle e-waste through regional and global collaboration.

“As we all know, the vast amount of e-waste produced has been increasing due to growing technology use and population. It is time to join hands regionally and globally to address the alarming health hazards associated with e-waste,” Mr Mwasaga said.

He further noted that e-waste presents an open opportunity for the private sector to partner with international organizations and explore ways to recycle e-waste into valuable assets.

Mr Mwasaga, speaking on behalf of Minister of Information, Communications, and Technology Jerry Silaa, highlighted the importance of collaboration between the government and the private sector to ensure proper e-waste management.

Harnessing the value of e-waste materials through recycling and resource recovery could create new jobs, support sustainable industries, and foster innovation, the ICTC director said.

“By viewing e-waste as an asset, the country can transform an environmental challenge into a thriving sector that boosts the economy while promoting responsible consumption and a greener future,” he added.

The National Environmental Management Council (NEMC) acting director general, Ms Lilian Lukambuzi, discussed the challenges arising from the importation of second-hand electronics with a short lifespan.

She noted that Tanzania generates about 2,300 tonnes of e-waste annually from computers alone, contributing to a total of approximately 33,000 tonnes of e-waste per year.

“Currently, only 3 percent of e-waste is effectively recovered, which means much of it remains unmanaged and stored in households,” Ms Lukambuzi said.

Mr Lawrence Thuo, founder of Kenya’s E-Waste Initiative, shared his country’s approach to tackling e-waste.

He explained that partnerships with like-minded organisations in the e-waste sector have created job opportunities and income generation.

“We have invited international partners to assist in e-waste collection systems and procurement of raw materials. Locally, we have developed innovative solutions that create products from e-waste, including 17 products such as power inverters used in solar home systems,” he said.

Mr Thuo’s initiative has partnered with various international organizations to address the growing volumes of e-waste and mitigate the associated health risks from toxic chemicals.

They are also working to develop certifiable e-waste curricula. The government continues to work on policies and systems to manage e-waste effectively, turning it into a valuable resource for the country’s economic and environmental benefits.