Electronic Waste Recycling Business: Solution, Choice, Survival

This study aimed to investigate factors impacting the electronic waste management in Thailand and recommend guidelines to drive the electronic waste recycling business in the country. The study used the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) as a conceptual framework. The in-depth interview was carried out using the semi-structured interview with the target agencies including government agencies, local administrative organizations, establishments related to electronic waste management (Factories in categories 105 and 106) as well as community junk shops in Chatuchak District, Bangkok. The study findings revealed that in considering the volume of electronic waste generated in Thailand and the share of important basic metals and plastics as components in electrical and electronic equipment to be used as secondary raw materials, the potential value from electronic waste recycling (household electrical appliances) could reach over 9,000,000,000 baht (9,165,701,106 baht) with the increasing trend following the increased volume of electronic waste. The market of the electronic waste recycling business in Thailand had the potential to grow. Upgrading of the electronic waste management system in Thailand was required for more efficiency, in particular, the process of collection, buy-back of product waste, reuse, and increased technological potential. Advanced technology needed to be developed to extract metals from electronic waste in order to obtain more varied metals.

African Ecomedia

In African Ecomedia, Cajetan Iheka examines the ecological footprint of media in Africa alongside the representation of environmental issues in visual culture. Iheka shows how, through visual media such as film, photography, and sculpture, African artists deliver a unique perspective on the socioecological costs of media production, from mineral and oil extraction to the politics of animal conservation. Among other works, he examines Pieter Hugo's photography of electronic waste recycling in Ghana and Idrissou Mora-Kpai's documentary on the deleterious consequences of uranium mining in Niger. These works highlight not only the exploitation of African workers and the vast scope of environmental degradation but also the resourcefulness and creativity of African media makers. They point to the unsustainability of current practices while acknowledging our planet's finite natural resources. In foregrounding Africa's centrality to the production and disposal of media technology, Iheka shows the important place visual media has in raising awareness of and documenting ecological disaster even as it remains complicit in it.

HOUSEHOLDS PRACTICE AND AWARENESS DIMENSION ON THE RECYCLING OF ELECTRONIC WASTE IN KANO METROPOLIS, NIGERIA

Electronic waste generation has been increasing at a rate three times faster than that of general waste stream. Developing nations like Nigeria bear the consequences as it is estimated that 500 containers, each carrying about 500,000 used computers and other electronic equipment, enter Nigeria’s ports every month from the United States, Europe and Asia. To this effect, The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the Federal Government of Nigeria have announced a $15 million initiative to establish an electronic system in Nigeria, which will pioneer safe e-waste recycling in the country. It is against this background that this study was conducted to determine the households’ awareness and practice towards the recycling of e-waste, as well as the most suitable collection pattern within Kano Metropolis. The data for this study was collected using Open Data Kit (ODK) mobile phone platform, which contained questions on households’ characteristics, current practices regarding disposal and recycling of electronic waste as well as their awareness dimension on the recycling of e-waste. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to estimate the average number of unused households’ appliances and also to analyse household awareness and practice. The awareness dimension of the surveyed households about recycling of electronic waste was determined and 97% of the households are aware of the significance of electronic waste recycling. The positive statements presented about awareness indicates a positive awareness dimension about the significance of recycling electronic waste. Among the sampled households, 23% engage in e-waste recycling, and they all do this by selling their wastes (electronic waste, inclusive) to house-to-house scavengers. Majority of the households (77.4%) do not recycle electronic waste. They either keep them at home for decoration, give them out for free, burn them or dispose them in open dumpsites. The average quantity of e-waste prese

Comparative Study of Electronic Waste Management in Developed Countries and Indonesia

Electronic waste management in Indonesia is currently not a major concern for various parties and is relatively left behind when compared to developed countries. This study aims to evaluate the existing conditions of electronic waste management in Indonesia and compile recommendations for electronic waste management programs in Indonesia. This research was conducted by collecting primary data from questionnaires and collecting secondary data from the literature on electronic waste management in developed countries (United States, Japan, and Switzerland) and Indonesia. The collected data were compared and analyzed for compiling strategy in the SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats). Recommendation programs for electronic waste management in Indonesia were established based on SWOT Matrix. The evaluation results show that the existing conditions of electronic waste management in Indonesia are lagging compared to developed countries. The management recommendation program provided is the 4R programs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Remove) for electronic waste; Dropbox to collect electronic waste; Development of formal electronic waste management infrastructure; Industrial revitalization / private electronic waste recycling facilities; Development of electronic waste landfill; Application of economic instruments for electronic manufacturers; Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for electronic equipment; Trade-in for all electronic products; and cooperate with the informal sector. Keywords: Developed countries, Electronic waste, Program recommendations, SWOT analysis, Waste management.