Members of the Uasin Gishu County Assembly on Wednesday passed a motion asking the county executive to come up with appropriate policy and legal proposals on e-waste management.
In a motion moved by Kipsomba MCA MaryGoretti Boroswa, the ward representatives expressed concerns that the current policies both at the national and county level were ineffective in addressing the management of e-waste.
They further noted that many users of electronic goods are ignorant about the risks posed by e-waste and thus they dispose of them haphazardly at their residential homes.
“Cognizant that the National Environment Management and Coordination Act no 8 of 199, among other things, stresses the need of monitoring and assessing activities including activities being carried out by relevant leading agencies in order to ensure that the environment is not degraded by haphazard emergency are given, this County Assembly urges the county government through the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources to come up with appropriate policy and legislative proposals on e-waste Management and submit the same to the County Assembly for approval,” Boroswa said in part of the motion.
According to the ward representatives, the use of electronic goods in Kenya has led to the generation and production of electronic waste (e-waste) – a new and unique phenomenon in waste management that needs urgent attention and very clear guidelines, policies and regulations on how they can scientifically be disposed of.
“This is because of their inherent dangerous chemical composition and the subsequent dangers and lethal effects to living organisms and the environment,” the MCAs noted.
The Environmental Management and Coordination Act 1999 (Revised 2015) and the Waste Management Regulations (2006) prohibit the handling, transportation and disposal of waste, including e-waste, without valid licenses issued by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
