Analysis of electronic waste management practices in the mining industry of Zambia (case study of first quantum minerals limited and dangote cement Zambia limited).
The mining industry in Zambia is one of the sectors that contributes greatly to the country’s economy by contributing greatly to the Gross Domestic Product and according to the latest EITI report, the extractive sector accounts directly for 9.9% of GDP and 78.4% of exports in Zambia. With this at play, there has been a demand to high productivity and this has led to the use of electric equipment such as Computers, printers, electrical lightings and mostly Electronic, remote controlled and computerised heavy equipment machinery during production. Although the use of electronic appliances has great benefit to development of the economy, there has been a great impact on the amount of e-waste being generated as the components in e-waste are toxic and hazardous. This waste has been identified as a problem not just in Zambia but worldwide making the development of an e-waste management system cardinal in any industry. This study employed qualitative methods, purposive sampling techniques and two mining companies First Quantum Minerals Limited (FQML) Kansanshi site and Dangote Cement Zambia Limited (DCZL) were selected as case studies. A regulatory agency Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) was also selected. The research methods were used to analyse the management practices of e-waste in the mining industry of Zambia and it was found that the two mining companies were struggling to manage the e-waste generated as there are no e-waste policies or legislation to give guidance on e-waste management practices and they relied on acts such as the Environmental Management Act of 2011 that address hazardous waste management. This study showed that the regulatory agency ZEMA had challenges in conducting sensitization and awareness campaigns and developing of e-waste technical guidelines due to lack of funding. The study concluded that the implementation of e-waste management practices can only be improved through the development of sustainable environmental strategies such as formulation, implementation and enforcement of e-waste management policies and development of e-waste technical guidelines that stress more on handling, storage, collection, sorting, dismantling, transportation in the country. Allocation of funds is needed to develop e-waste technical guidelines and support e-waste management programs such as sensitization and awareness, which have to be implemented, monitored and evaluated within an agreed time frame in these institutions in order to protect the environment from the pollution that comes with this type of waste. Therefore, the study recommended that ZEMA drives the development and implementation of e-waste management policies and legislation with policy makers and develop environmental strategies involving recycling of e-waste and for the mining companies, development of a comprehensive organizational e-waste inventory, development of a sustainable e-waste management system and introduction of EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) and green procurement.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations