Electronic waste: the pains and the gains

This paper presents an assessment of e-waste with respect to rate of generation, composition, risk and recycling potential. Data were extracted from published works and further analysed to provide insight into these aspects of e-waste management. Results showed that Nigeria has one of the highest per capita rate of e-waste generation (7kg/capita/year) as a result of heavy reliance on used electrical and electronic equipment as well as export of e-waste by developed countries. Television sets and personal computers constitute 55% of the total e-waste generated. Lead and copper present very high risk because of their wide application in printed circuit boards (PCB) which are used in virtually all electrical and electronic equipment and cathode ray tubes of television sets and personal computer monitors. Other metals found in e-waste include mercury, cadmium and arsenic have been implicated in severe health problems such as cancer, lung disease, renal failure and brain damage. This paper further revealed that the risk associated with improper disposal of e-waste can be reduced by recycling and re-use. E-waste from mobile phone alone has an economic potential of ₤186,000,000 or N89,000,000,000 which is equivalent to 4,886,550 barrels of crude oil. Gold component of mobile phone account for 68% of this potential revenue.