Editor’s note: Today we feature a post from Omasan Ogisi, Head of Sustainability & Corporate Responsibility for Ericsson Sub-Saharan Africa, writing about Ericsson’s e-waste recycling efforts in Benin:
How many electronic gadgets have you owned over the past 10 years, and where are they today? Research shows that on average, mobile phone users change their handsets every 18-24 months. While other small electronics tend to have longer turnover times, it is safe to assume that you have owned at least five consumer electronic devices since 2010.
It is easy to forget how much value they held to us when we were using them. Imagine discovering your original iPod, your first digital camera, or your old boom box or Walkman with a mixtape inside it. These devices are time capsules which enable us to recycle memories of moments long past. Songs and pictures carefully collected and experienced with these devices transport us to epic moments in our lives, times evoking great joy, sadness, excitement or even loss.
Regrettably, once our personal devices fall out of use, little thought is given to their disposal. If they are still serviceable they may be passed on, otherwise they are largely dumped in the trash and end up in landfills or are incinerated. The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) says that up to 90 percent of the world’s electronic waste – up to 41 million tonnes – is either traded or dumped, with computers and smart phones near the top of the list. Much of this waste ends up in developing countries too, says UNEP, with countries like Ghana, Nigeria, China, Pakistan and Vietnam developing into illegal e-waste hubs.
Whether e-waste is local or shipped from abroad, this can cause major environmental problems in our communities, as unlike typical garbage, much of the waste from electrical and electronic equipment is not biodegradable. When not treated correctly it poses a significant risk, and can cause environmental pollution and contamination, which has harmful consequences to people’s health, welfare and general living conditions.
The key to responsible e-waste recycling is knowing how and where your unwanted electronics will end up. In many recycling companies, workers who disassemble consumer electronics by hand are exposed to toxic substances, which also contaminate groundwater.
To support responsible recycling, earlier in the year MTN Benin partnered with Ericsson under our Global Ecology Management Program to launch an e-waste collection and awareness drive in Benin. The campaign was designed to create awareness about the importance of minimizing the potential environmental impact associated with the disposal of decommissioned electrical and electronic equipment in the country.
During the three-month initiative, people were encouraged to hand in old personal electronics to the special purpose collection depot – a customized 20-foot container, or at MTN service centers across Benin. MTN also recycled its own e-waste, along with corporate and non-governmental partners beyond the telecom industry, such as Canal +, UNDP, UNICEF, SGS, Diamond Bank and SCB. As a result, 20 tons of e-waste was collected and transported to an approved recycling partner in Durban, South Africa.
Though the project has wrapped up, the conversation around responsible e-waste management is on-going; and we along with our partners, the government and other stakeholders, are investigating the possibility of developing a long term process to manage e-waste more sustainably in Benin.
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