Stakeholders’ Perceptions on E-waste Collection and Transport System in Accra, Ghana

Abstract

E-waste is a critical emerging issue in both developed and developing countries as a result of increasing volume and quantity electrical and electronic equipment generated. E-waste contains both valuable and toxic materials, which require special collection and transport systems as first components of the management chain. Current thinking on the best practices dictates that it must be managed in an environmentally sound manner. Consequently, many countries have adopted various collection and transport system options that incorporate best practices with varied degrees of success. However, a search for appropriate collection system options in Ghana has received less scholarly attention. This paper explores e-waste collection and transport system options in an attempt to find management option suitable for Accra from the perspective of households, e-waste workers and institutions. The study throws more light on stakeholders’ perception about e-waste collection and transport system options which has the ability to re-direct and re-shape public policy and awareness on household e-waste management. The researcher used questionnaire to collect data from 347 households, 48 e-waste workers and 11 institutions for the study. The findings revealed that stakeholders identified recyclers’ or dismantlers’ collection system as the most suitable management for Accra. The paper found that key stakeholders have different interests in e-waste collection and transport system options. The study, therefore, draws attention of policy makers and waste planners to understand the nexus between stakeholders’ interests in order to adopt strategies that are more inclusive to satisfy varied interests.