NESREA raises concern over danger of e-waste

National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), has raised concern over the danger of e-waste, saying it increases susceptibility to health conditions.

Aliyu Jauro, director-general, NESREA stated this at a one-day sustainable stakeholders` meeting with the theme “e-waste management in Nigeria: creating a roadmap for efficient engagement” in Abuja.

The stakeholder meeting was facilitated by Xploits Consulting Ltd, in partnership with Access bank, Nigeria.

Mr Jauro, a professor, said that e-waste was hazardous because it contained many chemicals including, lead mercury, cadmium, brominated flame retardants and polyvinyl chloride, among others, which posed health risks.

He said the concern about e-waste was the recovery of these metals as secondary raw materials, referred to as urban mining through crude recycling process releasing toxic substances.

The DG said that such substances include; dioxin and furans into the environment, adding that this increased susceptibility to health conditions such as heart diseases, lung cancer.

Others are; acute and chronic respiratory disease, asthma and many other health related problems.

Mr Jauro said that in a move to curb the growing concern of the environment including the menace of waste, the federal government established institutional mechanism for addressing environmental problems.

He said that NESREA had the mandate to control and prevent processes or technology that could undermine environmental quality, develop guidelines, standards and enforce compliance.

Tayo Taiwo, Managing Partner, Xploits Consulting Ltd, said that the program was designed for stakeholders to understand effective e-waste management in Nigeria.

He said that it was in a move to understand how stakeholders could be engaged in a bid to know about e-waste management, adding that this includes regulators, practitioners and others in e-waste management.

He stated that one of the key issues that made e-waste management topical, was the intensive cost of recycling plants. He urged the government to create an enabling environment for people who want to go into recycling.