Material flows of mobile phones and accessories in Nigeria: Environmental implications and sound end-of-life management options

 

Abstract

Presently, Nigeria is one of the fastest growing Telecom markets in the world. The country's teledensity increased from a mere 0.4 in 1999 to 10 in 2005 following the liberalization of the Telecom sector in 2001. More than 25 million new digital mobile lines have been connected by June 2006. Large quantities of mobile phones and accessories including secondhand and remanufactured products are being imported to meet the pent-up demand. This improvement in mobile telecom services resulted in the preference of mobile telecom services to fixed lines. Consequently, the contribution of fixed lines decreased from about 95% in year 2000 to less than 10% in March 2005. This phenomenal progress in information technology has resulted in the generation of large quantities of electronic waste (e-waste) in the country. Abandoned fixed line telephone sets estimated at 120,000 units are either disposed or stockpiled. Increasing quantities of waste mobile phones estimated at 8 million units by 2007, and accessories will be generated. With no material recovery facility for e-waste and/or appropriate solid waste management infrastructure in place, these waste materials end up in open dumps and unlined landfills. These practices create the potential for the release of toxic metals and halocarbons from batteries, printed wiring boards, liquid crystal display and plastic housing units. This paper presents an overview of the developments in the Nigerian Telecom sector, the material in-flow of mobile phones, and the implications of the management practices for wastes from the Telecom sector in the country.

Oladele Osibanjo (Prof). Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. B.sc Hon Chemistry (2nd class Upper Division), University of Ibadan, Nigeria. 1970; MSc Analytical Chemistry 1973 and PhD Analytical Chemistry 1976 both from University of Birmingham, UK. Past National President Chemical Society of Nigeria 1991–1995; Past National President Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria 2001–2005. Past Regional Advisory Editor for Africa of the Analyst (London) 1980–1996. Past Chairman United Nations Joint Agencies Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution (GESAMP) 1994–1996.Regional Coordinator for Africa on the UNEP/GEF Project on the Regionally Based Assessment of Persistent Toxic Substances in the Environment 2001–2003. Director Basel Conventional Regional Coordinating Centre for Africa on Hazardous Waste Management from 1994 to date.

Innocent Chidi Nnorom. Department of Industrial Chemistry, Abia State University Uturu, Nigeria. Nnorom Innocent Chidi M Sc. is a PhD-student at the Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan, Nigeria. He is a member of the ‘E-waste Team” and is currently studying the ‘Environmental Impacts of End-of-Life Management of Electronic Wastes in Nigeria’ as part of his PhD thesis research (research started in 2004). He obtained a Master in Chemistry, with Specialization in Analytical Chemistry, at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria in 2002 and is presently a Teaching/Research Staff of Abia State University, Uturu, Nigeria. His Masters Thesis was on ‘Heavy metals release into the Environment from Dry cell Batteries Marketed in Nigeria’ and he is presently extending the work to include portable rechargeable batteries used in mobile phones.

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