Environmentalist warns against indiscriminate dumping of e-waste

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): An environmentalist, Dr Akindeji Falaki, has warned against indiscriminate disposal of electronic wastes in the country because of their harmful effects.

He gave the warning in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

Falaki said electronic waste (e-waste) contain some elements that could affect the health of people when exposed to them.

Falaki, the Team Leader, Climate Change and Environment Programme, National Orientation Agency (NOA), said that outdated electronics, especially cell phones, had serious impact on the health and environment when disposed off indiscriminately.

“People dispose of old phones and other electronics in dust bins without knowing that they are toxic.

“Some of them contain calcium, mercury and lead. For example, lead is extremely toxic to the human body.

“It can lead to all forms of deformity, it can even lead to neurological challenge in a child and that child can become mentally retarded.

“Mercury can be poisonous to the blood; it can shut down the kidney and the liver so people can interact with electronics (phones) without knowing the health implication.

“I am not saying those who use them but those who work on them, they are the ones that are directly exposed to them more,’’ he said.

Falaki said some energy saving bulbs could also be poisonous to the body if it breaks without being properly handled.

The expert said e-wastes should be properly managed by recycling them and adopting best practices of disposing them.

Falaki also advised people to check their consumption pattern and consume less.

“We just need to learn to rethink what we do because it is a consumption problem.

“What do people need another phone for when they have one or more than one already?

“Secondly, we need to learn how to properly dispose of our e-wastes; people should not just dump wastes indiscriminately so we need to have collection points.

“We need to hold the people who are in the electronics industries accountable and responsible for that.

“I know in some places, companies like Nokia and Samsung, have been doing well in their efforts to reduce the environmental impact of their production, so other companies should emulate them,’’ he said.

The official, however, urged the organisations to have collection points where people could drop their outdated electronics.

He said there was the need to create awareness for the informal sector (those repairing phones) to create points where people can return their old electronics.

“NOA launched an interactive bin for people to sort their wastes last year; the bin will allow people to sort the wastes that are not environmentally friendly for proper disposal,’’ he said.

Courtesy: www.tribune.com.ng