Stakeholders’ Role and Sustainability of E-waste management in Kisumu City, Kenya

The increased use of electronic gadgets has proportionately increased the accumulation of e-waste. E-waste is hazardous to the environment and health if not properly managed due to toxic substances contained in them. Currently, E waste in Kisumu is informally managed and it is not known whether the informal management of e-waste is sustainable. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of stakeholders in sustainable e-waste management in Kisumu City, Kenya. The research adopted a descriptive survey design and data collected using questionnaires, interviews, Focus Group Discussions and observation from a sample size of 425 respondents selected through stratified random sampling out of a target population of 148,494 households while analysis involved descriptive statistics. The study concludes that the current e-waste management is not sustainable because the current level of stakeholders’ awareness on e-waste management is not adequate, policy formulation and enforcement by relevant government ministries remains weak and investors and NGOs are unwilling to invest in this area due to expensive capital infrastructure and technology inadequacy. The study recommends that NEMA e-waste management guideline 2010 should be enforced to ensure proper reduce, reuse, recycling and disposal besides amendments to Public Health Act (1962), Urban Areas and Cities Act No.13 of 2011 (Cap. 265) to comply with the NEMA guideline. MIC should enforce their requirement for Extended Producer Responsibility on ICT Actors. NEMA and the County Government should offer incentives to interested investors. KEBS should train expertise in forensic audit of hazardous components included in electronic equipments and discourage importation of such substances.