CURBING E- WASTE MENACE IN NIGERIA: ASSESSING THE REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Abstract

The paper sets out to interrogate the adequacy of the regulatory framework of e-waste management in Nigeria, as a bulwark against its hazardous effects. In doing this, the paper attempts to define what constitutes e-waste and discusses some of the hazardous components in e-waste and try to point out its consequences on the health and environment of Nigeria. The paper finds out that though there are some regulatory frameworks both internationally and nationally toward curbing the menace of e-waste, however, they do not fully address the challenges of e-waste thus rendering the frameworks substantially ineffective. Furthermore, the paper finds that while the existing regulatory frameworks tilt towards controlling the influx of the Used Electrical/Electronic Equipment (UEEE) or Waste Electrical/Electronic Equipment (WEEE) into the country, there seems to be no specific law to deal with the UEEE or WEEE that has found its way into the country. The paper therefore observed that for effective solution to the menace of e-waste in Nigeria the regulatory framework should also contain incentive measures and public awareness mechanism educating the people about the menace as well as encouraging them to dispose of the WEEE in authorized and safe designated dumps provided by the appropriate authority.