The Zambia Information Communication Authority (ZICTA) has expressed concern with the growing volumes of electronic waste (e-waste) that do not have a sustainable management and disposal system in the country.
ZICTA Director-General Patrick Mutimushi says the absence of an effective management and disposal system of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) equipment, has an adverse impact on the environment.
Mr Mutimushi has since called for concerted efforts in addressing the emerging threats to the environment which are posed by e-waste.
Speaking in Lusaka today, during the launch of the first-ever e-waste management and recycling company, TCH W-Waste, Mr Mutimushi disclosed that government has realized the need for a robust e-waste management strategy, adding that this is why a number of joint ventures interventions are been put in place to mitigate the effects associated with indiscriminate disposal of e-waste.
He explained that in 2018 ZICTA carried out a national ICT survey aimed at accessing the flaws of e-waste in the country in order to understand the current disposal mechanisms as well as the risks associated with them.
Mr. Mutimushi said the survey revealed that mobile phones contributed to the largest amount of e-waste at about 34.8 percent followed by radio and television sets at 17.4 and 10% respectively while computers and are the lest at 1.5 %.
He added that this is why the coming of TCH E-Waste Company on the Zambian market will go a long way in addressing same of the challenges faced in the management and disposal of e-waste in the country.
Earlier, Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) Principal Inspector Crispin Simwanza explained that by virtual of Zambia not being a producing country, the country cumulates a lot of e-waste which needs sustainable management and disposal.
Mr Simwanza noted that this is because of the e-waste starts at the time of importing the products into the country.
He stated that ZEMA is confident that TCH E-Waste is capable of handling all the e-waste that is generated in the country has complied with all the laid down regulations.
And TCH E-Waste representative Malcom Whitehouse explained that the company will be involved in collecting, sorting, and exporting the recyclable parts of e-waste and shipping for final disposal in an environmentally friendly manner.
Mr Whitehouse said the company will offer its services to consumers at the household level, public and private sector and industries among others, adding that once it starts full operations, the company will also create jobs for the local people.
The reporter was listening to the speakers and wrote what he thought they said. What is “.. by virtual of…”; the country …cummulates …? LT, get an editor
I don’t think this makes sense in Zambia!
People ALWAYS find some use for old electronics, no one throws them away.
And even if they did, I don’t see anyone sorting their waste just yet.
We should deal with normal household waste first,
Get rid of plastic like they did in Rwanda, and then we can discuss specifics.
Also, does it surely need to take a foreign company to manage our waste?
It’s shocking that ZEMA and ZICTA are talking about this topic at the launch of a private company, do they want to force all of us to be clients? Instead of playing their roles professionally, ZICTA wastes time trying to catch who has insulted Bowman’s benefactor. ZEMA is responsible for the bad fuel because they have failed to catch Somalians who blend used oil to the fuel they sell. Useless institutions
Whilst you are busy waiting for a grz job or being employed as à cadre in your back yard company formed it will employ you and pay you in local currency whilst it exports and earns green bucks.
Again it had to take a foreign firm to do it for us. Us we’re only good at consumption and carrying round an irritatingly false pride of ownership. Yet it should be hard to genuinely own what you can’t produce. These are some of the like areas where the so-called youth empower funds should have been directed
What’s the point of having five more universities if none can even recycle a cellphone?