• Focus Tel and Tech

Report highlights inadequate e-waste management in Namibia

• 3 Weeks Ago

The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (Unitar) has found that, on average, every Namibian generated 7.1 kilograms of electronic waste (e-waste) in 2020, resulting in a total e-waste generation of 18 161 tonnes for that year.

This, according to Unitar's 2024 National E-waste Report, which was prepared at the request of the information and communication technology ministry.

“Currently, there is inadequate handling, recycling and disposal of e-waste in Namibia, which is leading to challenges in the adoption of a circular economy for electrical and electronic equipment (EEE),” the report states.

Unitar based its findings on statistics sourced from the Namibia Statistics Agency’s database for international trade and used statistical regression to create a dataset dating back to 1980.

This dataset was then refined through a statistical validation procedure to identify outliers and gaps in available data. This provided a dataset indicating the total amount of EEE put on the market.

By comparing the amount of EEE put on the market, Unitar applied the average lifespans of the various types of EEE to determine the amount of e-waste generated in Namibia.



[UNITAR REPORT INFOGRAPHIC 1 GOES HERE]



EEE PUT TO MARKET

According to the e-waste monitor, small equipment such as electric kettles, microwave ovens, radio sets and calculators made up the highest proportion of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) put on the market between 2004 and 2020. The amount of EEE put on the market reached its peak in 2017, when it accounted for 8.9% of the total EEE over the 16-year period under review.

In 2020, the amount of EEE put on the market in Namibia experienced a notable decline of 21.6% compared to the previous year, which saw 6 234 tonnes of EEE introduced.

With more than a fifth less total product introduced to the market than the small equipment category, temperature exchange equipment – such as refrigerators, air conditioners, and freezers – contributed the second highest volume of EEE during the review period, totaling 96 237 tonnes.



[UNITAR REPORT INFOGRAPHIC 2 GOES HERE]

The lion’s share was introduced to the market in 2013, accounting for 11.3% of the overall product launched that year. Similar to small equipment, temperature exchange equipment also experienced an uptick in 2017, with 9.1% being introduced to the market that year. In 2004, the lowest volume of temperature exchange equipment was introduced to the market, with only 3 236 tonnes.

A dip in 2020 was recorded in this category, as the volume of product put to market took a 15% plunge compared to the previous year, when 5 399 tonnes of product were put to market.

While large equipment, such as electric stoves, washing machines and clothes dryers, put just over half the volume of product to market than temperature exchange equipment did, it was still the third largest supplier of product over the period under review.

With 43 472 tonnes of this type of product introduced to Namibia over the 16 years, this sector also saw a notable rise in 2017 and an equally noticeable fall in 2020.

The highest volume of large equipment supplied to market was recorded in 2017 at 16.6% of the total share while a 4.5% drop was observed in 2020 from 2 045 tonnes of product in 2019.

Small information technology (IT) and telecommunications equipment, including mobile phones and personal computers, did not rank among the highest contributors of EEE put to the market during the period under review.



E-WASTE GENERATED

The categories of EEE that contributed the most to e-waste mirror the categories that put the highest volumes of product to market. In order from the highest volume, the top three contributors are small equipment, temperature exchange equipment and large equipment.

Despite the Global E-waste Monitor estimating Namibia's e-waste for 2020 at 15 700 tonnes (6.4 kg per inhabitant), the Unitar report presents a higher estimate of 18 161 tonnes (7.1 kg per inhabitant). Notably, in 2020, 2 224 tonnes of lamps were put on the market, making them the third highest-ranking product for that year alone. In the same year, 2 280 tonnes of lamps were contributed to e-waste, maintaining their position in third place for this category and accounting for 12.6% of total electronic waste.

Between 2004 and 2020, small equipment generated the most e-waste, contributing 78 830 tonnes, comprising 8.9% of the total e-waste over that period.

The amount of e-waste generated by temperature exchange equipment during the period under review is nearly half that of small equipment, which totalled 39 989 tonnes, with this type of equipment accounting for 10.4% of the total e-waste generated, peaking in 2020.

This was a 5.5% increase compared to 2019.

E-waste generated by large equipment contributed 25 093 tonnes during the same period, with a peak in 2020 that was 4.5% higher than the amount contributed by this type of equipment in 2019.



[UNITAR REPORT INFOGRAPHIC 3 GOES HERE]

E-WASTE RECYCLED

Similar to the generation of e-waste, the amount of e-waste recycled also peaked in 2021. Figures for e-waste recycling are available only for the period between 2015 and 2021. In 2020, the amount of e-waste recycled increased by 26% compared to 2019, reaching 135 220 kg before falling to 70 552 kg in 2021.



[UNITAR REPORT INFOGRAPHIC 4 GOES HERE]

CHALLENGES & RECOMMENDATIONS



According to Unitar’s e-waste report, stakeholders identified several challenges, including the distance to recycling facilities, increasing volumes of e-waste and a lack of awareness among Namibians. The report also notes that the unequal distribution of infrastructure for e-waste collection across the country contributes to a lack of incentive to recycle e-waste. Additionally, travel costs hinder the recycling of e-waste, making it economically unviable.

The report recommends, among other actions, that the collection of data on e-waste be included in national censuses and surveys. It also suggests developing a database to record e-waste statistics annually and establishing a specialised body for monitoring and controlling e-waste data.



- irene-mari@nmh-hub.com.na