TITLE:
Material Flow Analysis of Electronic Wastes (e-Wastes) in Lagos, Nigeria
AUTHORS:
Fatima Badiru Ibrahim, Donatus Begianpuye Adie, Abdul-Raheem Giwa, Sule Argungu Abdullahi, Charles Amen Okuofu
KEYWORDS:
e-Waste; Material Flow Model; Computer Equipment; Nigeria
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.4 No.9,
September
27,
2013
ABSTRACT:
The fate of end-of-life
electronics (e-wastes) is of increasing concern because of their toxicity and
ever increasing volumes. Addressing these concerns requires proper management
plans and strategy which in turn requires reliable estimates of e-waste
generation in the present as well as future times. In this study, a material
flow model for the analysis of e-waste generation from computer equipments inNigeriahas
been developed. Data used to develop the model are the sales data from major
distributors of electronics, usage time of computer equipments and transfer
coefficients of the electronics from one stage to another. The analysis of
individual flows of computer from the material flow model showed that the fate
of obsolete computer equipments were storage (41%), reuse (35%) and direct
disposal (24%). The projections of the flows for a period of 15 years also indicated that storage and
reuse of computer equipments would be preferred over direct disposal; and
computer equipments would continue to remain in either storage, re-use or gradually disposed off
for about 11 years
after its inflow. This delay or staggering disposal is of advantage as it would
reduce the amount of e-waste disposed yearly and also afford the country some
time to make plans to accommodate and manage the e-wastes generated more
efficiently.