Constant importation of electronic waste into the country has been identified as the major factor spearheading crisis in the country’s ecosystem, as majority of the imported items have been described as totally unuseable.
This is even more worrisome as empirical studies have indisputably linked the raising prevalence of diseases such as cancer, diabetes and immuno-cardiovascular diseases to the exposure of electronic waste materials which contain debilitating substances.
More often, electronic waste also referred to as e-waste is not often handled by trained personnel with efficient machinery capable of containing its numerous toxic components and this result in severe environmental ruin in lieu of air pollution, groundwater contamination, food pollution and nationwide ecological adulteration.
Currently, statistics showed that Nigeria generates 1.1million tonnes of e-waste yearly with about 40 per cent generated in Lagos state. However, with the progress the world is making towards achieving greater technological advancement, the need for proper and sustainable protection of electronic devices becomes pertinent.
Tackling the menace of e-crisis in Nigeria, an electronic waste management company, E-Terra Technologies Limited is set to hold Nigeria’s first waste recycling exposition on May 24th in Lagos, where it would recognise the efforts of some government agencies, partners and clients who have shared in its vision and supports through collaboration to address the worsening environmental, health and financial problems caused by improper e-waste management.
Addressing a press conference over the weekend, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of E-Terra, Ifeanyi Ochomnogor, who affirmed that Nigeria has the best machinery on proper data destruction, said the event will showcase the company’s state-of-the-art machines for e-waste management.
Ochomnogor said that as most electronic devices have storage media components that contain confidential information, the devices must be properly erased for reuse or degaussed and permanently destroyed if unwanted to prevent confidential information leakages that can lead to serious financial, intellectual property and security breach.
He added that due to the seriousness of the e waste crisis, the firm has adopted a monthly community engagement campaigns to increase awareness of the e-waste crisis, detailing the toxicity of e-waste which include the much needed development and training of the notorious informal handlers of electronic waste.
