We plan to collect about 300 tonnes of e-waste – NESREA

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), says it is targeting about 300 tones of e-wastes collection across the country.

The Director-General of the agency, Prof. Aliyu Jauro, disclosed this in an interview with the newsmen on Sunday in Abuja.

He said that e-waste activities is one of challenges facing the agency, adding that the NESREA is collaborating with relevant organisations to ensure that its activities are managed effectively.

According to him, "we are targeting the collection of about 300 tones of these e-wastes, already we have machines, including force and formal recyclers.

"But most of those doing the business are informal recyclers, like scavengers, who collect the waste, and take them to collection centres for disposal of such wastes.

"The collectors select the useful component for recycling and take the rest into dump sites.

"The agency trained those collectors so that they will be knowledgeable on the best way to collect the items and to ensure that they are upgrade in the system," he said.

Jauro said that the NESREA had collaborated with some relevant organisations to ensure effective recycling of wastes across the country.

He mentioned the organisations as Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA), and the German Agency for International Corporation (GIZ), among others.

He said that the NESREA had introduced a strategy known as the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to ensure the effectiveness in processing the recycling of the wastes.

He explained that the EPR is an environmental protection strategy that makes the manufacturer of a product responsible for the entire life cycle of the protect, especially for the take back, recycle and final disposal of the product.

The director-general said that the programme would help in achieving the recycle economy and reduce indiscriminate dumping of wastes in the country.

"The essence of the project is to ensure that the e-waste is collected in a friendly manner, and the recycling done in the best way to help protect the environment as well as keeping it healthy.

"Although, currently, we don't have enough of the recycling facilities, but the few we have is doing a lot, so what they do is to dismantle those wastes that cannot be recycled.

"Then, collect the compound and take them to developed countries where they have the facilities to recycle them.

He said that Nigeria has functional recycling companies in Lagos and some other states, adding that their goal is to recycle any non-biodegradable pollutants and protect the environment.

He said that the companies convert scrap materials such as plastics, metal and glasses into useful reusable products.

Jauro also said that the agency was working with International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) in the area of wildlife trafficking and e-waste, adding that the support has really helped Nigeria in tackling illegal activities.

He said that the INTERPOL usually alerts the agency on activities such as illegal trafficking and whenever any ship brings in e-wastes into the country.

He said that Nigeria is a signatory to international treaties such as Basel Convention and has the right to stop any illegal activities.