Ticking Time Bomb: Implications of the Covid-19 Lockdown on E-Waste Management in Developing Countries

Abstract

The coronavirus pandemic has altered the course of events globally since the outbreak of the corona virus disease (COVID-19) late 2019 further giving credence to the long standing beliefthat the world is indeed a global village. There have been different responses by countries to the raging pandemic including imposition of lockdowns, quarantine and isolation. The imposition of the lockdown whether full or partial, has not been without major consequences leading to resort to information, communication and technological (ICT) based measures to minimize 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, business offices and other sectors, has led to increased use of electronic devices. The challenge of electronic waste (e-waste) management in developing countries has been on 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 alternative to face-to-face interactions may not be a negative development, the paper argues that the existing frameworks are inadequate to manage the resultant increase in e-waste in most developing countries and that there is need 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 the e-waste created thereby.

The waste ban in China: what happened next? Assessing the impact of new policies on the waste management sector in China

“…The global pandemic has influenced the production and management of the various industrial sectors, in terms of waste to recycling generation of end-of-life vehicles were stopped because of the shutdown of companies upstream, and there was an insufficient supply of raw materials for many manufacturing companies. Whilst for domestic WEEE, there is a consequential increase in the generation of e-waste due to increasing utilization of electrical and electronic devices for online teaching or work from home during the pandemic or post COVID19 in a developing country (Adejumo & Oluduro, 2021). In terms of waste to energy, for example, waste incineration for power generation (business), the closure of restaurants and service companies leads to the amount of food collection and volume of transport in some cities or regions was only 25% * 33% of pre-pandemic levels of pre-pandemic levels due to lockdown and social restrictions.…”