EFFECT OF E-WASTE ON ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH

1.1 Introduction

E-waste is a collective name to all electronic devices which have been expired of their useful life period like discarded computers, computer peripherals, mobile phones, televisions, and others. E-waste has increased the total waste volume and after dismantling, it releases various toxic and carcinogenic gases and metals which are posing a threat to human health and also contaminate the environment. It is not only the locally generated waste but also added by the e- waste coming from other parts of the country and overseas in order to be dumped after recycling. The huge import of e-waste which is coming as charity to the developing countries like India, the question is where to dump this burden and how to manage this waste which has become a serious environmental threat nowadays.

As a prelude to other parts of this study, this chapter will discuss the background upon which this study was initiated, the statement of problems that led to this study, the Aim and Objectives of the study. Others are Significance of the study, Scope of work, Research hypothesis and questions, Limitations of the Study and Definition of technical terms.

---

1.2 Background of Study

Electronic waste, mostly referred as e-waste refers to electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) that has been disposed of by the owner as waste and has no intention of re-using it (STEP, 2014). This may be a complete item or parts of the item. E-waste is also known as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), or e-scrap. It incorporates a wide variety of items; practically, any business or household item that contains hardware or electrical segments with power or battery supply (Balde et al., 2017).

E-waste, or electronic waste, is waste from all sorts of electronics ranging from computers and mobile phones, to household electronics such as food processors, pressure, cookers etc. The effects of improper disposal of this E-waste on the environment are little known; these impacts nonetheless pose very real threats and dangers to the global environment at large (E-Terra, 2021).

Waste management which was relatively bearable in some urban area like Enugu, Lagos, Onitsha, Port-Harcourt etc. has become impossible now especially with the growing of urbanization. Rural-urban migration and sitting of building and other infrastructure in areas designated as solid waste disposal points. Furthermore, the proliferation of public and private school, hospitals and eating houses generate more than 95% of the refuse within the urban centre problem with the disposal of solid waste in those urban areas especially in Enugu could be eras to the late 70 when rural poverty increased which cause high rural-urban migration. Rapid urban growth in Nigeria accompanied by increasing population, traffic congestion, air and water pollution, capital production of solid waste disposal, and non-available of places designated for solid waste disposal. In the absence of a regular and efficient solid waste collection system, waste is dump in open spaces in access roads and along water courses, which constitute health hazards. In most parts of urban areas, there are no public facilities for disposing refuse within reasonable distance. Dumping sites or waste bins are non- existence and where dumps are sited overflows with refuse constituting health fire hazard.

Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Effect of E-waste on Environment and Human Health in Oka Community.

---

1.3 Statement of Problems

The basic problem related to e-waste is that the dismantling and recycling yards {for gaining usable parts and precious metals from the discarded e-items) are very few and most of these activities are carried out by the workers in an unsafe manner. However, such studies are lacking in India. Geography is conspicuous by the absences of such research as adopting its holistic approach, it may contribute significantly for the benefit of the mankind. And the process is very dangerous and insecure as the workers even do not have gloves or masks and are exposed to injuries by metals and glasses, acids and have to inhale poisonous, toxic and carcinogenic gases. In this manner the life and health of these workers is highly endangered. The next problem is related to the disposal of dismantled material which may contain traces of harmful gases and other toxic substances like heavy metals as lead, cadmium., mercury, etc. which are leached into ground water through soil and has thus potential to pollute the air, water, and soil of the area where they are disposed off.

---

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to scrutinize the Effect of E-waste on Environment and Human Health in Oka Community. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To ascertain the current state of e-waste disposal in Oka Community
2. To examine the effect of e-waste disposal on environment and human health in Oka Community
3. To identify factors that affects e-waste disposal and the type of solid waste disposal system that will aid economic development of the state.
4. To determine whether improper disposal has any significant impact on economic sustainability.
5. To assess how improved sustainable e-waste disposal practices can contribute to economic development process in Oka Community.

---

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• Does improper disposal of e-waste have any significant impact on environmental sustainability in Oka Community?
• What is the current state of e-waste disposal in Oka Community?
• To what extent does e-waste generation and disposal have impact on the socio-economic development of Oka Community?
• What are the factors that influence waste management and what type of e-waste management system will aid the economic development in Oka Community?
• To what extent can sustainable e-waste disposal practices contribute to the environment and human health in Oka Community?

---

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

• H0: There is no statistically significant relationship between e-waste disposal and socio-economic sustainability in Oka Community
• H1: There is a statistically significant relationship between e-waste disposal and socio-economic sustainability in Oka Community

---

1.7 Significance of Study

Academic Significance: The researcher while embarking on this research work has so many people in mind; they include the student, lecturers as well as all education institution. This research would add to their knowledge. It would also act as a catalyst for debates on the effects of solid waste disposal and this will facilitate further research on the topic, thereby unraveling the reason behind the indiscriminate disposal of solid waste in Oka Community and Nigeria in general.

This work will serve as a guide and reference material to the up-coming researchers both in the field of urban and regional planning and in other related fields. It would be an additional block placed on- going constitution of the building of knowledge.

Practical Significant: This work is not confirmed solely to the students within their academic environment. It would enable the individual members of the society to become increasingly conscientizen on the impending danger of indiscriminate disposal of solid waste in the area of Oka Community and Nigeria at large.

Policy makers and implementers will benefit immensely from this study especially from its finding and recommendations. It would help stimulating indiscriminate disposal of solid waste.

---

1.8 Scope of Study

The study focuses on the Effect of E-waste on Environment and Human Health in Oka Community in Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area, Edo State.

---

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, many things militated against its completion, some of which are:

1. Time Constraint: The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Research material: availability of research material is a major setback to the scope of the study.
3. Frequent power failure: This made the researcher append more money on fuel to ensure sustainable power.
4. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

---

1.10 Definition of Terms

1. Hazardous Wastes: These are wastes that poses substantial or potential threats to public health or environments
2. Aquifers: These are underground layers of porous rocks or sand that allows the movement of water between layers of non-porous rocks (sand stone, gravel or fractured lime stone or granite).
3. Waste Prevention: It is the method of eliminating waste at source and reducing the demand on natural or origin resources.