Waste electrical and electronic equipment management in the educational institutions and governmental sector offices of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Abstract

E-waste management is a challenging task not only due to its rapidly growing volume but more staggeringly because of its hazardous nature. This study examined the waste electrical and electronic equipment management in the educational institutions and governmental sector offices of Addis Ababa. Through purposive sampling method, the study involves 72 sample respondents from General Service Department office and 6 higher governmental officials. The study realized the purchase of both used and working electronic equipment. The major causes of e-waste generation are rapid obsolescence rate and breakage of electronic equipment. The X2 test result (13.066, p = .042) was statistically significant in terms of the causes of electronic waste among the selected offices. The rapid technological advancements, reduce in the performances of electronic equipment, poor utilizations and handlings brought the generation of obsolete and broken e-waste. The most common e-waste disposal method was storing. Hence, 81.7% of e-waste are simply stored. Other e-waste disposal methods such as reusing, refurbishing and recycling activities were flimsy. The absence of recycling possibilities and lack of awareness about the possibilities and values of recycling e-waste were some of the hindering factors. The administrative, economic and socio-cultural related factors challenging e-waste management. What is more, there were absence of e-waste legislation, shortages of storage facilities, absence of recycling and refurbishing centres. Therefore, the study proposes a workable e-waste management model and theory. Hence, Extended Producer Responsibility Model and Actor Network theory might be adopted and practiced within the realities of today’s Addis Ababa.