Ticking time bomb: implications of the COVID-19 lockdown on e-waste management in developing countries

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the course of events globally since the outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in late 2019 giving further credence to the long-standing belief that the world is indeed a global village. There have been different responses by countries to the raging pandemic including the imposition of lockdowns, quarantine and isolation. The imposition of lockdowns, whether full or partial, has not been without major consequences, which has led to information, communication and technological (ICT)-based measures to minimise the effect of the lockdown and as an alternative to physical interactions. The use of ICT devices to bridge the gaps created by the lockdown on schools, businesses and other sectors has led to the increased use of electronic devices. The challenge of electronic waste (e-waste) management in developing countries has been around for a while and the increased use of electronic devices is likely to compound the challenge during and post COVID-19. Whilst the development of ICT-based options as viable alternatives to face-to-face interactions may not be a negative development, this article argues that the existing frameworks are inadequate to manage the resultant increase in e-waste in most developing countries and that there is need now more than ever before for developing countries to exercise caution in embracing these ICT-based options without putting in place measures to ensure that there is increased capacity to manage and dispose of the e-waste created.

Environmental Injustice and Electronic Waste in Ghana: Challenges and Recommendations

“…From a global perspective, Africa generates the least e-waste per capita, behind Oceania, Europe, and America [10]. A large proportion of African countries have the greatest proportion of the people living off of the environment, directly or indirectly, with the e-waste challenge compounded post-COVID-19 [40]. While such threats are well addressed by developed countries with strict law enactments and the establishment of suitable recycling facilities, many developing and underdeveloped nations lack the policies, statutes, technology, and appropriate treatment facilities to manage the e-waste discarded their way [41].…”

“…While such threats are well addressed by developed countries with strict law enactments and the establishment of suitable recycling facilities, many developing and underdeveloped nations lack the policies, statutes, technology, and appropriate treatment facilities to manage the e-waste discarded their way [41]. Ultimately, toxic waste dumping in countries of the Global South such as Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, and Ghana constitutes environmental racism and requires immediate remediation [40]. For people in Agbogbloshie to reside in an area categorized as toxic and harmful and to face the threat of housing insecurity constitutes an injustice [42].…”

“…The virus, which spreads via aerosol droplets, through means like coughing and sneezing [45], and fecal-oral and direct contact, led to global lockdowns resulting in supply chain disruptions, exposing the vulnerabilities of health systems previously perceived as stable. Global lockdowns saw the proliferation of work-from-home policies by companies that could afford it, increasing the number of homes with computers and electronic gadgetry, adding to the amount of global e-waste in circulation [7,40]. The disruptions of supply chains from the lockdowns led to a standstill in manufacturing, transportation of essential materials, and plastic, and e-waste recycling.…”