Let's learn more about e-waste

The following is a question and answer segment with the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the Caribbean following my blog post on the topic.

How do you define e-waste?


Reference is made to our website for questions 1 and 2.

Describe the work that BCRC-Caribbean is doing for e-waste?

To add to question 2, currently, the BCRC-Caribbean is executing a project entitled Management of E-Waste in Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago, which includes the following components:

- The updated report on the current e-waste management practices in the three 
project countries
- Proposal on a sub-regional approach to the management of e-waste and the development of training materials
- Development of a business plan for the proposed management solutions
- Dissemination of project results and knowledge dissemination

Tell us about the e-waste survey?

There are two e-waste related surveys that have been posted to our social media in the recent past. The first is a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) survey for old mobile phones, to assess the general public’s knowledge on the disposal of used and end-of-life mobile phones, as a precursor activity under the project Demonstration of the Environmentally Sound Management of Used Mobile Phones in Trinidad and Tobago, which aims to educate the public on the impacts of improper disposal and will also be hosting a collection drive of used and end-of-life mobile phones.

The next survey that was posted to our social media pages dealt with the disposal of e-waste in general by households in Trinidad and Tobago, as part of the data collection process of the project Management of E-Waste in Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago.

Do we in Trinidad and Tobago need a national policy on e-waste?

Currently, in Trinidad and Tobago, there are no legislation that are specific to e-waste, however there is a national policy that addresses the disposal of hazardous waste. Trinidad and Tobago is a party to the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes.

With technology rapidly evolving and the need for technology products increasing with the remote environment that has be catalysed due to the pandemic, necessity arises for the proper tools to effectively manage e-waste. While it may fall under the national policy which was developed for hazardous wastes, it may not be generally known or understood the effects of e-waste.

We can direct you to the Ministry of Planning and Development and the Ministry of Public Utilities for more information on this question.

What can we do to deal with e-waste?

Persons can have their e-waste safely disposed of through certified disposers. The Environmental Management Authority (EMA) can be contacted to get a full listing of which companies or organisations have a Certificate of Environmental Clearance (CEC) for the ESM of e-waste.

There is an e-waste collection drive for the collection of used and end-of-life mobile phones, along with a campaign that intends to educate the public on the dangers of e-waste and how the e-waste is handled to be discarded, in order to address the public’s concerns.

How can we profit from e-waste management?

A major benefit of the environmentally sound management (ESM) of e-waste is the impacts to human health and the environment. By ensuring that these materials are properly and safely disposed of, the risk of human exposure to toxic chemicals is reduced, and in the long run reduces the drastic effects on health and the environment.

Additionally, e-waste management can contribute positively to the circular economy, where components of the e-waste can be recycled.

The refurbishment, and resale of used electrical and electronic devices can also be profitable, as well as the sale of certain components of the e-waste.

For more information on the situation and context of e-waste in Trinidad and Tobago, the Ministry of Planning and Development, Environmental Protection and Planning Division and the Environmental Management Authority can be contacted.

How big of a problem is e-waste?

The United Nations International Telecommunication Union’s Global E-Waste Monitor 2020 revealed that 63.6 million metric tonnes of e-waste was discarded globally, 2.01 billion tonnes. The average annual generation of e-waste for Trinidad and Tobago for the period 2015-2033 is approximately 45,000 tonnes.

More information can be found here:



For more information on the situation and context of e-waste in Trinidad and Tobago, the Ministry of Planning and Development, Environmental Protection and Planning Division and the Environmental Management Authority can be contacted.

What can we learn from other countries?

Information on improving e-waste collection and safe disposal, as well as lessons learnt from other countries can be found here:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How does the sun set?

Image
This is a chapter from my fourth book called When hunger yearns This is the final chapter of this book. I imagine myself standing on the pigeon point jetty in Tobago. I imagine myself with camera in hand waiting for the perfect sunset. The day was long and this was a fitting end to a day of adventure. All good things must come to an end. Endings make way for new beginnings. The sun sets on our part of the world but rises in another part of the world. It is the cyclical nature of life. The waves gently come to shore and the tourists take their last dip in the sea. Life is full of ups and downs and everything comes in waves. A year ago I had no idea I would write this book but here I am today writing the final chapter. Soon I start my next book called Freedom. The sunset frees us from the heat of the day and brings the cool of the night. It quiets the mind and prepares us for the resting of our soul. A year ago on this day we were celebrating Eid. This year we celebrated Eid last week. N
Read more

What is love?

This is a chapter from my fourth book called When hunger yearns It is 4am in the morning and I was thinking about what to write about. "What is love?" popped in my head and I ignored it initially and then I began seeing posts about love while scrolling through facebook. Then it occured to me that I could probably collect a page or two full of these and share them in my book as an answer to the question. This is proof that love surrounds us. We just have to pay attention. Love is the answer. ❤️ Love is not what you say. Love is what you do. True love never dies. It only gets stronger with time. No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another. (Charles Dickens) Sometimes miracles are just kind people with good hearts. Rules for happiness: something to do, someone to love, something to hope for. (Immanuel Kant) Love does not need to be perfect. It just needs to be true. Kind words dont cost much. Yet they accomplish much. (Blaise Pascal) The only way to do gr
Read more

What is the story behind the broken kite?

Image
This is a chapter from my fourth book called When hunger yearns The broken kite by Hassan Voyeau I had this idea. I would open the pen-up app and close my eyes and just draw random lines and then fill the random shapes formed with color. But what does my new art piece represent? I used Google lens and found that the closest match pointed to a gallery with a mixture of kites and vector art. Then it occured to me that it looks just like a broken kite. A kite that had gotten stuck in a tree and was pulled down but got broken and damaged in the process. It also kinda looks like a fish that got damaged too. Maybe it is a fish kite. I was reading about the history of the kite. The exact origin is unknown but it is believed that they were flown in China more than 1000 years ago. One suggestion is that a Chinese farmer tied a string to his hat to prevent it from flying off and that is how the first kite was born. In Japan they celebrate Children's Day with fish shaped kites called koinobor
Read more

What is a beautiful word?

This is a chapter from my fourth book called When hunger yearns I woke up early and took a bath. I changed into comfortable clothing and I said my prayers and I laid down waiting for the rain they said we would get after midnight. While I was bathing a question entered my head. What is the most beautiful word? Beauty is subjective and there is beauty in all words. There are fancy sounding words and words from foreign languages and hardly heard of words and words that are hard to pronounce. There are simple words and words with little fanfare and words of frustration and words that make us giggle. There are all kinds of words that are beautiful in their own way. Napoleon Hill has told us that, "The most beautiful words in the world may well be that sweet, old-fashioned two-letter word, we." A simple word that signifies unity and connection. For me a beautiful word is a word that can express "peace of mind". I discovered the Swedish word lugn and I fell in love with i
Read more

Surfing

This is a chapter from my fifth book called Freedom My bags are packed, my people. I am going on an outing to a quiet surfing village in another part of the world. I have packed some shorts, armhole jerseys, a pair of flip flops and my gopro camera. It has been a while since I have gone to the beach. I live on an island and I cannot swim and I do not go to the beach. They really say that people do not appreciate what they have. Where I am heading I have to take a plane or two. I am going to Nosara in Costa Rica. Nosara is a village and district on Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula. It is known for the beaches, nature, and wildlife and of course surfing. The closest airport to Nosara is Tamarindo (TNO) Airport which is about 42 kilometers away. According to legend, Nosara is named after a Chorotega princess who died fighting for love on her beach. Sayonara, I am going to Nosara! Like how I rhymed that? And through the power of the internet I have landed on a beach in Nosara. I could jus
Read more