Firm plans Sh2bn e-waste recycling

 

Nema deputy director of environmental education Betty Nzioka, Unido’s Mpoko Bokanga (centre) and Safaricom corporate affairs director Nzioka Waita at an e-waste forum this month. Photo/Diana Ngila 

By SIMON CIURI

A United Kingdom investor is scheduled to start buying disused electronic appliances for recycling next month in the first concrete measure to address e-waste.

East African Compliance Recycling Company a subsidiary of Reclaimed Appliances Company is expected to inject Sh2 billion into the business.

“Shipment of machinery has been done and other arrangements are on board to have the company set up its production plant in Nairobi next month,’’ National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) deputy director on environment education and public awareness Betty Nzioka said.

She was speaking on the sidelines of a media workshop on disposal of electronics. The investor will use Kenya as a launch pad for East Africa where e-waste is a key environmental and human safety hazard.

Sources said the company would be buying used appliances on cash in order to motivate consumers to release the products.

Collection points would be set up in the 47 counties from where the refuse would be transported to the company’s plant along Mombasa Road in Nairobi.

It is estimated that Kenya produces 17,350 tonnes of e-waste annually with mobile phones, personal computers and printers contributing 3,150 tonnes. The number is expected to soar given the increased use of electronic gadgets.

Safaricom recently partnered with Nema and Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEE) Centre for use of its retail centres as the collection points for the disposed items.

Reclaimed Appliances Company is a family-owned business with a vast experience  in the electronic waste recycling  and re-use markets for the  last 15 years in the UK.

The firm is expected to be working closely with already existing companies involved with the national wide collection of unused electronic gadgets  as it rolls out its collection strategies.

The company will be using recycled  products both for local and international markets. The venture is expected to create employment opportunities in environmental conservation.

Leading handset makers Nokia and Samsung  run e-waste programmes. Nokia has set up collection points  in its outlets. Samsung has so far partnered with Safaricom, Airtel, Phone Link, Tuskys, Nakumatt and Naivas Supermarkets as the dropping points.

E-waste products is usually laden with heavy metals including lead and mercury that have adverse effects on human health. Lead  is  mainly found in glass panels of the computer monitors.