East Africa is one of the highest generators of e-waste on the African continent.

East Africa is heightening steps to address the rampant issue of electronic waste (e-waste) mismanagement in the region.

To spearhead these efforts, the East African Communications Organisation is hosting the seventh Regional Awareness Conference in Nairobi, Kenya where this year, e-waste is at the centre of discussions.

The three-day event ending on Wednesday, themed, “Advancing Sustainable E-Waste Management in East Africa: Embracing Extended Producer Responsibility”, comes as e-waste emerges as one of the fastest waste streams in the world.

The summit has brought together key stakeholders to explore sustainable e-waste management strategies.

Presiding on the first day of the summit, Stanley Kamanguya, CEO of the Kenya Information and Communications Technology Authority, said with Africa generating nearly 5 million metric tons of e-waste annually but recycling less than 1 percent, there was a need to address this disparity.

To address this, he said the Kenya ICT regulator had targeted collection of more than 100 000 devices in e-waste management.

Besides addressing the e-waste crisis, this is anticipated to enhance job creation, resource recovery from e-waste, strengthening policies, cross-border recycling, promoting public awareness and responsible disposal with the aim to promote, advance and embrace responsibility in the country.

Kamanguya said: “E-waste is not just an environmental issue. It’s an economic opportunity and a shared responsibility. Let’s rethink, recycle and take action for a sustainable future.”

Experts warn that improperly managed e-waste, which includes electrical and electronic items like computers, phones, and appliances, poses substantial environmental dangers, such as soil, water, and air pollution, as well as the discharge of dangerous compounds that can harm human health and ecosystems.