E-waste related heavy metals in Harare, Zimbabwe, a pending environmental and public health disaster
- January 12, 2022
- Posted by: rsispostadmin
- Categories: IJRISS, Social Science
International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue XII, December 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186
E-waste related heavy metals in Harare, Zimbabwe, a pending environmental and public health disaster
Mandevere, B. PhD, Wiechers, H. PhD
ABSTRACT
The objective of the study was to examine the presence of e-waste related heavy metals in soil and water around Harare and to review the management strategies of electronic waste in Harare, Zimbabwe. Interviews, observations and laboratory tests were employed to harness data. Secondary data from previous literature and other records were also consulted. Findings revealed that heavy metals related to electronic waste were fast becoming a threat to Harare. The management of e-waste in general is not proper as e-waste is disposed on dumpsites commingled with general waste as in open dumps along roadsides in the residential areas. The authorities have no mechanism or law in place to handle e-waste and informal recyclers have taken advantage of this, but are exposed to a number of health problems. There is need to come up with a sustainable e-waste management strategy by the Environmental Management authorities as well as legislation that clearly focuses on this technology driven type of waste which seems dormant but can erupt anytime to the detriment of the environment and public health.
KEY WORDS:E-waste, Management, Heavy Metals, Pending, Health, Disaster Environment, Harare, Zimbabwe
INTRODUCTION
The proliferation of various developmental revolutions raise questions on the future state of the environment the world over. The world has been reduced to a small village due to the electronic revolution. This has resulted in e-waste problems worldwide with developing countries being hard heat as their e-waste management abilities and strategies are primitive. Harare, Zimbabwe has not been spared. The idea of a clean environment in cities is critical and addressed by goal number 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals for Society (SDGs). In Harare, Zimbabwe sustainable development is however threatened by e-waste which is proving to be a formidable form of waste. According to Gweme et al., (2016) presently, Zimbabwe does not have an e-waste management strategy despite having achieved a lot in the field of Information Communication Technology (ICT). This explains why Wolf and Baddeley (2012) indicated that “the size and the complexity of e-waste problems is increasing at a much faster rate than the efficiency of our strategies to contain it”. Zimbabwe has ratified international treaties such as the Basal Convention and the Bamako Convention. The adoption of these two conventions was done but there has been no step in the direction of proper domestication of these, particularly with regards to e-waste management. This means Zimbabwe has failed to transpose e-waste issues into national law and as such e-waste is not properly managed and hence a dormant environmental and health volcano which can erupt anytime to the disadvantage of the environment and people’s health.
