Nigeria’s E-Waste Recycling Facility Declares Key Partnership with Informal Sector

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Nigeria’s first e-waste recycling facility located at Ojota, Lagos which recently began its operations, has partnered with informal sector to provide necessary training, especially scavengers who handle e-waste using primitive techniques. The initiative will also cover scrap dealers in informal sector who buy electronic waste from residential and commercial customers, but mostly follow manual dismantling and informal recycling processes. This was announced by Lagos-based Hinckley Recycling, who runs the modern e-waste recycling facility.

According to the company, it had teamed up with the Association of Vendors for Used Electronic and Allied Products to offer free training on healthy recycling practices to deal with obsolete electronic items.

Also, scavengers were offered one-week hands-on training on proper dismantling and handling of electronic waste, which contains hazardous chemicals that are fatal to human health and could cause dangers to water and soil. The company also conducted blood tests on some of the scavengers to scan for potential health implications as a result of their constant exposure to toxic chemicals.

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In addition, the company is already in talks with OEMs to ensure proper management of discarded electronics, by bringing in more control on the informal sector through development of a comprehensive Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme.

As per estimates provided by E-Waste Relief Foundation (ERF), Nigeria generates approximately 1.1 million tonnes of electronic waste every year. The country could effectively tackle its massive e-waste only through proper education to its citizens on dangers of e-waste mishandling. More importantly, necessary training must be imparted to informal sector players, who still play a crucial role in e-waste management in the country.