By Pemphero Malimba:
Government has launched the National E-Waste Management Policy.
It targets to see improved management of electronic and electrical equipment waste in the country.
State Vice President Michael Usi, who is also Minister of Natural Resources and Climate Change, presided over the launch
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The launch coincided with International E-Waste Day commemorations, with main activities held in Lilongwe yesterday.
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Speaking at the event, Usi described the policy as a critical step towards the creation of a sustainable framework for managing e-waste in Malawi.
“In the coming years, our nation will face increasing amounts of e-waste as more and more people access electronic devices. The question, therefore, is not whether we will have a problem, but how we will address it.
“By implementing this policy, we will lay the foundation for an integrated, sustainable approach to managing e-waste that prioritises the protection of our environment and public health,” Usi said.
He said implementation of the policy required collaboration.
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“I call upon all stakeholders—government agencies, the private sector, civil society and every Malawian citizen—to support and engage in the national effort to manage e-waste.
“Let us work together to retrieve old electronics, recycle them responsibly and revive the precious resources contained within them for the benefit of our economy, society and environment,” he said.
On her part, Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (Macra) Board Chairperson Bridget Chibwana pledged support towards implementation of the policy.
“Macra commits to fully implement the policy in supporting the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change, the Ministry of Information and Digitalisation and all key stakeholders, including ministries, departments and government agencies, the private and informal sectors, civil society organisations, academia and research institutions,” Chibwana said.
She said they were geared to carry out their mandate to complement the implementation of the policy.
“As Malawi implements the policy, the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority will continue to play its role and mandate through supporting the development of regulations and tools, developing and publishing technical standards related to communication goods and services, establishing a type approval regime for terminal equipment or any other electronic equipment in the telecommunication sector, strengthening relevant institutional, legal and regulatory frameworks for waste management of electric and electronic equipment, implementing awareness and education programmes, strengthening monitoring and quality assurance mechanisms for electric and electronic equipment,” Chibwana said.
Among other things, the policy seeks to establish a formal, efficient and environmentally sound e-waste collection and recycling system, promote public awareness and education on the risks of improper e-waste disposal and enhance regulatory measures to ensure that both local and international stakeholders adhere to safe practices in handling e-waste.
Statistics from the ministry indicate that the country generates at least 4.5 million kilogrammes (kg) of electronic and electric waste equipment every year.
From 1995 to 2021, the country experienced a rapid increase of e-waste from 1.3 million kg to 12.5 million kg.
The policy is expected to be implemented in a period of five years.
