1.1 E-waste Generation The rapid e-waste generation witnessed globally today is attributed to some factors. People have discovered the ability of electronic products to make life more convenient and therefore have developed almost insatiable craving for them, resulting in the growth of electronic waste. Furthermore, technologies are rapidly changing positively and prices of electronic products are now lower and thus users can conveniently do away with their old electronics. Again, manufacturers have tactically planned obsolesce of their electronic and electrical products by rapidly introducing new ones with better features. Equally, users of electronic products have observed that it is often cheaper and more convenient to buy new electronics than to upgrade the old ones. That is not all; liquid crystal display (LCD) screens have now replaced cathode-ray tube (CRT) monitors because they are smaller and have energy economy resulting in massive dumping of CRT monitors. Very importantly, manufacturers have embarked on aggressive marketing resulting in consumers’ cravings for electronic products.
1.2 E-waste Statistics
Statistics on e-waste is frightening. According to Causes International, 20- 50 million tons of e-waste are generated worldwide annually. [3] Also, the USA is seen as the world leader in e-waste generation, producing about 3 million tons annually. [4] In addition, according to Greenpeace International in the developing countries, the lifecycle of mobile phones is less than two years. [5].