A three-day regional conference to seek ways of tackling the issue kicked-off in Yaounde on April 15, 2014.

In order to put an end to the dumping of toxic electrical or electronic equipment which is rampant in the Central African sub-region, the regional bureau of Interpol in the CEMAC zone is organising a three-day conference in Yaounde to explore ways of scraping out the problem.

Opening the meeting on E-waste and the environment in Central Africa, the Regional Specialised Officer of Interpol in charge of Environmental Crime, Djibrine Issene, described the situation as waste proliferation. He explained that most of the equipment imported are obsolete and when totally out of use, are not well disposed of. E-waste, he said, when badly disposed of is a danger to both the environment and living things.

“E-waste contains toxic substances that when carelessly disposed of depletes the ozone layer,” he added. It is true that with the evolving technology, one cannot live without electrical or electronic equipment, but when out of use, they should be properly disposed of. Chadian-born Djibrine Issene regretted that the absence of technology for recycling E-waste is a serious challenge to the region. To him, sensitising the population on E-waste management will go a long way to preserve the environment and health.

On his part, the Chief of Service for Toxic and Harzardous Waste in the Ministry of Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development, William Lemnyuy disclosed that E-waste becomes an environmental crime when it is badly disposed of and when it enters the country unregulated. He explained that there are set regulations on electronic equipment which stipulate that any importer of electrical or electronic equipment must get a technical visa from the ministry which more often than not is violated.