Study E Waste Assessment Report Lesotho

8/13/2019 Study E Waste Assessment Report Lesotho

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MINISTRY OF TOURISM,

ENVIRONMENT AND

CULTURE

DEPARTMENT OF

ENVIRONMENT

The Afr ica I nstitute for the envir onmentally sound management of hazardous and other waste

E-WASTE ASSESSMENT

KINGDOM OF LESOTHO


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ASSESSMENT OF E-WASTE REPORT

KINGDOM OF LESOTHO

Min istry of Tour ism, Af ri ca I nstitute for the Environmentall y Sound

Environment and Cul tur e Management of Hazardous and Other Waste


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PROJECT DETAILS

PROJECT TITLE: E-WASTE ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT

OF MODEL REGULATORY FRAMEWORK FOR

E-WASTE MANAGEMENT

REFERENCE NO.: RFP NO. MTEC/ENV-O1/11-12

CLIENT: MINISTRY OF TOURISM, ENVIRONMENT AND

CULTURE

PROJECT AREA: KINGDOM OF LESOTHO

THIS DOCUMENT: E-WASTE ASSESSMENT REPORT

REPORT STATUS: FINAL REPORT

AUTHORS: ENVIROXLLENCE (PTY) LTD


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This document was prepared by Enviroxllence (Pty) Ltd for the Ministry of Tourism,

Environment and Culture (MTEC) Lesotho. The project was funded by the Government of

Denmark through the Africa Institute for Environmentally Sound Management of Hazardous

and Other Wastes.

Many individuals and organizations contributed generously of their time and expertise in the

development of this document. Data in this report was mainly collected as secondary data

from different producers, importers, exporters, re-furbishers who use it as administrative data

and also drawn mostly from households through household-based surveys, different lineministries as well as other private organizations and individuals.

The authors wish to confer sincere gratitude to all line ministries and stakeholders for their

great contribution in the production of this report. Particular thanks are owed to officials at

the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture (MTEC) for their guidance and direction,

in particular, Mr. Thabo Tsasanyane and his team.

There may be other institutions and organizations not cited above which have been very

instrumental to the production of this report; their contribution is very much appreciated and

recognized.


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TABLE OF CONTENT Page

PROJECT DETAILS i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS iii

LIST OF TABLES vLIST OF FIGURES vi

LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS viii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ix

DEFINITIONS xiii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1

1.1 Introduction 1

1.2 Background 1

1.2.1 Energy Production in Lesotho 2

1.2.2 Production and Consumption of Electricity and EEE Use 3

1.2.3 Definition of E-Waste 41.2.4 E-Waste Categories 5

1.2.5 Problem Statement 6

1.2.5.1 High Obsolescence Rate of EEE 6

1.2.5.2 Mobile Phone Upgrades 7

1.2.5.3 Hardware Failures 7

1.2.5.4 Digital TV Conversion from Analogue 7

1.2.5.5 Cheaper Printers 7

1.3 Study Area 8

1.3.1 Type of Electricity Consumers 9

1.3.2 Main Source of Energy for Heating in Districts 11

1.4 Project Objective 12

1.5 Project Outcome 12

CHAPTER 2: SCOPE OF WORK 14

2.1 Scope of Work 14

2.1.1 The Development of E-Waste Inventory 14

2.1.2 Establishing Legal Framework for E-Waste Management 14

2.2 Types of EEE under Investigation 15

2.4 Expected Deliverables 15

CHAPTER 3: APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY 163.1 Approach and Methodology 16

3.2 Task 1: Basic Assessment of EEE 16

3.2.1 Product Scope: Electrical and Electronic Equipment Targeted 17

3.2.2 Literature Review and Statistical Data 18

3.2.3 Collecting Data by Conducting Surveys 19

3.2.4 The Hierarchy for Handling E-Waste 19

3.2.5 Sampling Plan 19


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3.2.6 Sample Size 21

3.2.7 Field Studies 21

3.2.8 Meetings 21

3.3 Public Awareness and Participation 23

3.3.1 Stakeholder Consultation Meetings and Workshop 23

3.3.2 Education and Awareness Programmes 243.4 Mass Flow Assessment 25

3.4.1 Level of repair/refurbishment necessary for reuse or recycling 25

3.4.2 Level of dismantling and recycling 25

3.5 Disposal method for residues for dismantling and recycling operation 25

3.6 Environmental problems due to reuse/recycling and disposal of used EEE 25

3.7 Poverty Reduction through Public Private Partnerships [PPP] 26

3.8 Estimate the amount of used and waste EEE generated 26

3.8.1 Amount of brand new EEE domestically produced/shipped and

imported/exported

26

3.8.2 Amount of used EEE discarded at present and in the future 27

3.8.3 Generation and management of residues generated from repair/reassembling,dismantling, and processing

27

3.9 Identify the status of implementation of measures for ESM of used and WEEE 27

3.10 Massflow Assessment 27

3.11 Limitations 28

CHAPTER 4: ANALYSIS OF SURVEY RESULTS 30

4.1 E-Waste Components and Management 30

4.1.1 Sample size 30

4.1.2 Field studies 30

4.2 E-Waste Generation 31

4.2.1 Households 324.2.2 Manufacturers and Produces 33

4.2.3 Import and Export of EEE 36

4.2.4 Domestic shipment per year 37

4.3 E-Waste Collection and Storage 43

4.4 Repair and Refurbishment of EEE 45

4.5 E-Waste Dismantling Processes 46

4.6 Recycling of E-Waste 50

4.7 E-Waste Disposal 50

4.8 Environmental Problems and Impacts 54

4.8.1 Potential Hazard in E-Waste 55

4.8.2 Environmental problems due to reuse or recycling of used EEE 564.8.3 Identified environmental problems at Lithabeng Scrap Yard (LMSD) 56

4.8.4 Labour and Health Impacts 56

4.9 Description of a repair process 60

4.10 Actions taken by manufacturers 64

CHAPTER 5: MODEL REGULATORY FRAMEWORK 66


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5.1 Developing a Model Regulation for E-Waste Management 66

5.2 Motivation for the Regulations 67

5.3 Goals and Objectives 69

5.4 E-Waste Management Considerations 69

5.4.1 E-Waste Generation 70

5.4.2 E-Waste Handling and Dismantling 715.4.3 E-Waste Recycling and Recovery 71

5.4.4 Product Repair and Refurbishment 72

5.4.5 Ban Disposal of Electrical and Electronic Equipment in Landfills 72

5.4.6 Restrict Transboundary Movement of E-Waste and Border Control 73

5.5 Compliance and Enforcement 75

5.6 Planning and Finance Considerations 75

5.7 Recommendations 76

CHAPTER 6: PLANNING AND MOBILISATION OF FUNDS 77

6.1 An Assessment of the capacity to deliver a sustainable E-Waste management 77

6.2 Capacity Building Education and Awareness Plan 796.3 Mobilisation of Funds for E-Waste Management Programmes 79

6.3.1 Resource Provision, Funding and Performance Management 79

6.3.2 Defining Potential Partnership 80

CHAPTER 7: CONCLUSION 81

7.1 Conclusion on Survey Results 81

7.2 Planning and Finance Considerations 81

7.3 Summary of Major Survey Findings 82

CHAPTER 8: RECOMMENDATIONS 84

8.1 Recommendations 84

References 90

Annexure A: Case Study: SchoolNet-Camara Digital Hub 92

Annexure B: Questionnaires 97

TABLES

Table Description PageTable 1 Proposed Geographic Spread- Districts 9

Table 2 Number of Households by District and Source of Energy for Lighting in 2006 11Table 3 Data Collected, Showing Data Source and Collection Method 17

Table 4 Number of population in each District in 2006 20

Table 5 Five Regions that were sampled for each source of E-Waste 22

Table 6 Brand New EEE domestically produced 34

Table 7 Quantities of brand new imported and exported goods per month 34

Table 8 Companies involved in Import and Export of Used EEE (Distributors) 36

Table 9 Quantities of new and used EEE domestically produced, imported and 38


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exported per year

Table 10 Domestic quantities of used EEE exported (re-exports) per month 40

Table 11 Companies involved in collection of used EEE 44

Table 12 Companies involved in repair or reassembling of used EEE 45

Table 13 Dismantling process 46

Table 14: Estimatedmass of used EEE discarded at present and in the future in (kg) peryear 47

Table 15 Quantities of used EEE disposed, stored, repossessed and

reassembled/dismantled/repaired per district

49

Table 16 Total mass of used EEE disposed, stored, repossessed and reassembled/dismantled/ Repaired per Year

49

Table 17 Disposal method for residues from dismantling 50

Table 18 Average Mass of EEE handled by a Repair Shop 52

Table 19 Management of residues generated from repairing 52

Table 20 Types of residues and their way of disposal 53

Table 21 Hazardous substances, their occurrence and their impacts 58

Table 22 Basel Convention characterization of E-Waste61

Table 23 Repairprocess necessary for reuse or recycling 62

Table 24 EE Categories 65

FIGURES

Figure Description PageFigure 1 Map of Lesotho showing district borders 10

Figure 2 Project phases and associated activities. 16

Figure 3 Stages of Engagement for consultation 23

Figure 4 Percentage share of household waste collection and disposal practices inLesotho 31

Figure 5 Current EEE Market Supply Methods 33Figure 6 Country map showing E-Waste hotspots 41

Figure 7 Country map showing E-Waste hotspots 42

Figure 8 Country map showing E-Waste distribution 43

Figure 9 Quantities per type of EEE commonly used locally 47Figure 14 Flow Chart for EEE 51

Figure 15 MTEC Organogram 78


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LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

ACs Air Conditioners

BC Basel Convention

Bts Batteries

BOS Bureau of Statistics

CPU Central Processing Unit

CRTs Cathode Ray Tubes

EEE Electrical and Electronic Equipment

EMPA Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research

EPR Extended Producer Responsibility

ESM Environmental Sound Management

e-WASA e-Waste Association of South Africa

E-Waste Electrical and electronic waste

GDP Gross Domestic ProductGNP Gross National Product

HDTV High Density Television

ICT Information and Communication Technology

kg kilogram

LCD Liquid Crystal Display

LEA Environmental Act, 2008 (Act 10 of 2008)

LEC Lesotho Electricity Company

LED Light Emitting Diode

MPs Mobile Phones

MTEC Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture

N/A Not Available

PCB Polychlorinated Biphenyls

PCs Personal Computer

Rfs Refrigerators

SME Small and Medium Enterprises

SOE State Owned Enterprise

SPM Solid Particulate Matter

SWM Solid Waste Management

TVs Television Set

UNEP United Nations Environment Program

UNIDO United Nations Industrial Development Organization

WEEE Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment or E-Waste


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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The primary objective of this project is to assess the electrical and electronic equipment e-

waste value chain and to develop guidance tools for national and local governments and

other stakeholders to ensure that e-waste is managed in a way that protects public health

and the environment while conserving valuable resources. The information collected and

analysed through completion of this project will serve to inform the MTEC, local

government staff, and the general public on how to properly manage e-waste.

To date, many electronics dismantlers and scrap metal dealers have principally focused on

large sources of electronic scrap and used equipment that can be obtained from

manufacturing, government, and commercial sources. Recycling of business electronic

waste yields better financial rewards compared to recycling residential e-waste due to

amounts and variety of electronic equipment collected. The cost of collection and transport

of used PCs from commercial sources is significantly less than for the recovery of similar

equipment from the residential sector. While salvage value from computer components and

metals recovery may offset some collection and recycling costs, residential e-waste

collection programs will probably not result in any net value for the industry program

sponsor.

E-waste recycling costs cannot be absorbed in current refuse, recycling, and household

hazardous waste budgets. Rural areas have an added disadvantage due to lack of economies

of scale, long transportation distances, and vulnerability to illegal dumping. Local

governments need financial assistance with the costs of e-waste management especially in

those areas.

The survey to assess the level of e-waste generated, its management and the capacity of

MTEC to put in place measures to protect human health and the environment was

undertaken for a duration of 3 months. The primary objective of the survey was to

determine the various target audience needs concerning management of e-waste. The

survey asked respondents to indicate their level of involvement in the e-waste industry


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sector, their concerns about issues including regulations, illegal dumping, collection points,

storage, transportation, education, procurement, end markets, environmental safeguards,

and finance. Of these issues, the top concerns were finance, end markets; while government

was concerned with environmental safeguards.

Households top concerns centred around provision of proper e-waste disposal facilities and

recyclers and that dumpsites should be within reach to avoid illegal dumping, they also

believed public awareness campaigns could be useful as most claim to not know about the

environmental and health impacts of e-waste.

Education institutions were concerned about the lack of capacity of government to

implement and enforce policies, they also recommendrd a special and up to standard

landfill that is specially designed for e-waste disposal. Manufacturers, dismantlers,

recyclers at most wanted disposal and recycling facilities to be introduced in the country to

minimize transportation expenses to other countries, they also recommended incentives

from the government to encourage them to manage e-waste in an environmentally sound

manner.

At the disposal landfill site the operaters take the mandate from the Maseru City Council

and are contracted; they believe if they could be given full authority over the site they may

improve e-waste management at the site unlike now that they dispose it with the rest of the

waste that gets to them.

The survey was directed to local government agencies responsible for implementing e-

waste management programs and for environmental compliance programs including local

enforcement agencies, permitting and inspection, presently the government manages e-

waste like the rest of the general solid waste. There is no special attention given to e-waste,

all solid waste except chemicals are taken to dumpsites for disposal.

In Maseru, there is a dumpsite at Tsosane where all solid waste is taken, throughout the

districts there are district dumpsites where all solid waste generated in town is burned; all

the dumpsites are far and require transport. The only option left for households and other

waste generators is illegal dumping of their waste. Household hazardous waste was not


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sorted at source of generation; therefore this toxic waste stream was disposed with general

waste. There were no hazardous household management programs running at local level in

Lesotho.

Generally, e-waste program implementers wanted technical assistance, while local and

national government responsible for compliance agencies more frequently requested

training and advisories. Therefore best management practices guidance materials would be

required for all stakeholders.

All local government groups placed priority on assistance with public education. Many

respondents believed that a country-wide education program would be advantageous. Local

governments want assistance in development of public education materials and funds to

implement education programs.

The best available information on proper management of e-waste was collected through

research of Basel Convention resources, as well as those of nationally recognized

organizations involved in e-waste management. References used in the preparation of the

best management practices are included in the bibliography. A step-by-step guide for e-

waste management should be designed to assist local government in the considerations and

decisions needed for program planning and implementation, with emphasis on

environmentally sound management and due diligence to ensure that all materials and e-

waste components are properly recycled. The best management practices for e-waste are

changing on a continual basis and will evolve over time as information and technology

advancement becomes available.

Local governments need financial assistance with the costs of e-waste management. Local

municipalities may be reluctant to increase fees for waste disposal to residents. At the

moment, only suburban (CBD) households are offered waste collection services and pay

fees for waste removal. Other areas (a majority of Lesotho households) are not served and

they are responsible for their waste removal; the responsible authorities blame lack of town

planning for hindering services provision to other areas.


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In summary, major finding of this report are the following: there is generally lack of

knowledge about e-waste in Lesotho; most respondents do not know about the

environmental and health impacts of e-waste; e-waste is disposed together with other waste

and there is a lot of illegal dumping of e-waste throughout the country; most handlers e.g.

refurbishers and dismantlers do not wear protective clothing when handling e-waste; there

is no proper record of e-waste from most stakeholders; there are no EEE recyclers in the

country and there are only a few collectors throughout the country; most respondents think

they are getting rid of e-waste by burning it or throwing it into dongas with the hope that

they also control erosion; most users prefer new EEE to used EEE hence their reluctance to

repair them or buy second-hand goods, they claim it is cheaper and easy to buy new

equipment than to maintain old ones; and management status of waste electrical and

electronic equipment not considered as hazardous waste by e-waste handlers is presently

nonexistent .

Government and nongovernmental organizations should work together to improve local

recycling capabilities in new markets and identify potential vendors, assess whether they

meet all standards and policies, and require them to put plans in place to address any gaps

in their approach.


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DEFINITIONS

In this document, the following definitions apply, unless the content indicates otherwise:

collection means the act of collecting e-waste at the point of generation or storage by an

approved service provider or the municipality;

extended producer responsibility measures means measures that extend a persons

financial or physical responsibility for a product to the post-consumer stage of the product, and

includes

e-waste means electrical and electronic waste generated from used and non-functional

electrical and electronic products, in storage, dismantling, recycling and recovery activities

hazardous waste means any waste that contains organic or inorganic elements or compounds

that may, owing to the inherent physical, chemical or toxicological characteristics of that waste

have a detrimental impact on health and the environment.

household means a collection of individuals staying on a distinctive property and/or premises

regardless of their relationships to one another

standard for the purpose of this documents a list of principles, procedures, processes andbenchmarks established for ensuring that domestic waste collection services is fit for its

intended purpose and performed in a manner it was intended for. The Standards further define

quality and establish safety criteria.


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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

1.1 Introduction

Enviroxllence (Pty) Ltd has been contracted by Ministry of Tourism, Environment and

Culture [MTEC] to carry out consultancy services for assessment of used electronic and

electrical equipments [EEE] and develop regulatory regimes and guidelines for used and

waste EEE management for Lesotho. The project had organizational support of

Enviroxllence, and Redlex Consulting companies.

Following the signing of the Contract, MTEC had mandated Enviroxllence with the task to

undertake a comprehensive assessment of the extent at which e-waste was generated,collected, imported/exported, repaired, sold, dismantled, recycled and disposed of in

Lesotho. Furthermore, the development of regulatory framework in response to the findings

was developed. This process precede efforts to ensure that all households, institutions and

facilities in Lesotho address electronic waste management in a more uniform, strategic and

standardized business approach.

It is our understanding as Enviroxllence (Pty) Ltd that our brief was to undertake an

assessment of how much e-waste is generated, identify the source of generation, gather all

other data relating to mass flow along the value chain, analyse collected data for decision-

making, including the development of regulatory regime for the management of e-waste.

1.2 Background

The Kingdom of Lesotho, like many developing African countries has experienced an

increase in the use of electronic and electrical equipment and appliances for simple daily

use and for special needs, for example, use of computers at the workplace, an electrictoothbrush; fridges or toaster in households; x-rays and heart rate monitors as part of life-

saving equipment in hospitals.

When such equipment and appliances reach their end-of life, they are often discarded and

thrown in rubbish bins destined for disposal at landfill sites. A fraction of these can be


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repaired to original functionality and reused while others are stripped of their parts for

recovery of precious metals such as gold, and other uses.

The use of electrical and electronic equipment is still low in Africa compared to other

regions of the world, but it is growing at a staggering pace. The penetration rate of personal

computers in Africa, for example, has increased in the last decade, while the number of

mobile phone subscribers has increased at an astronomical pace. Of great concern is a

general lack of knowledge of what needs to be done with EEE that has reached its end of

life.

Waste generated from electronic and electrical equipment defined as e-waste is a priority

waste stream addressed by the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary

Movement of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal.

Energy Production: The Convention entered into force on the 5th

of May 1992, Lesotho

acceded on the 10th

of May 2000. This project was initiated as a result of Lesothos

participation as a party to the Convention; being obligated to protect human health and the

environment by putting in place measures to reduce harmful and toxic materials and waste.

1.2.1 Energy Production in Lesotho

a) Energy Productioni. Electricity Generated in Lesotho between 2009 and 2010 was 505,297MWh and

500,580MWh respectively.

b) Energy Consumption in 2010:i. Commercial Consumption was 96,538 Megawatt hour (MWh)

ii. Industrial consumption was 202,087 Megawatt hour (MWh)iii. Pre-paid Domestic Consumption was 174,237 Megawatt hour (MWh)iv. Pre-Paid General Purpose was 85,662 Megawatt hour (MWh)

c) Electricity sold in the country:


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Electricity sold from LHDA to LEC has been increasing, and the highest increase was

observed from 2004 to 2005 (369,736MWh to 435,246MWh) with 18 percent. This

increase has enabled an environment for increased use of electrical and electronic

equipment in the country (Lesotho Electricity Company).

1.2.2 Production and Consumption of Electricity and EEE use

The traditional and conventional energy sources are used in the country. The most prevalent

traditional energy source is biomass in all its forms while the prevalent conventional energy

sources include gas and paraffin for households, diesel and petrol for transport. Electricity

is mainly used in the households for cooking, lighting, and heating, and operating home

appliances; while in the industries it is used for space heating and powering heavy

machinery in factories and other sectors of the economy. Petroleum products are mainly

used in the transport sector and households.

Electricity is produced as primary as well as secondary electricity. Primary electricity is

obtained from natural sources such as hydro, wind and solar. The Lesotho Highlands

Development Authority (LHDA), the sole producer of electricity in the country, sells to the

Lesotho Electricity Company (LEC) which distributes electricity to the consumers. LHDA

also generates revenue by exporting some electricity to RSA when there is excess.

There is a direct correlation between increasing energy production and increase in e-waste

generation. Electricity generation in Lesotho has created an enabling environment for

industry to grow its facilities and processes; while households also acquire electrical and

electronic equipment for daily use and specialised purposes. As electrical and electronic

equipment reach their end of life, they become e-waste.

The amount of e-waste generated, its geographical spread and the potential health risks is

unknown because no such data is collected; therefore this assignment will assess amounts

of e-waste generated per annum, including the source of generation, and all mass flow data

along the value chain including recyclable fraction. Furthermore, such data may be

obtained from industry sector which is often reluctant to share such information as it is

classified as confidential business information.


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As a developing nation, Lesotho has to establish an integrated e-waste management

strategy and a robust legal framework for sound management of e-waste in order to protect

its citizens and the environment without stifling economic growth and innovation.

1.2.3 Definition of e-waste

Environmental Act, 2008 (Act 10 of 2008) defines waste as any substance that may be

prescribed as waste or any matter, emitted or deposited in the environment in such a

volume, composition or manner as to cause an alteration of the environment. The

definition of e-waste has not been defined in Lesotho; hence a definition for Lesotho could

be derived from already existing definitions listed in various statutes and guidelines from

areas where the concept of e-waste recycling is already at a more advanced stage, such as

the Swiss Ordinance, SWICO, the European Union Directive and the WEEE Tracer

definition. This report may assist government and its stakeholders to identify and coin a

definition that describes e-waste in the context of the country.

As with general waste, with increased population and industrial development, there is

concomitant increase in e-waste generation which should be systematically managed in

order to conserve resources and protect the environment.

However, expanding economies, increased production of goods together with an expandingpopulation are seen as the main drivers for waste generation. Solid waste disposal is a

major problem in Lesotho, with indiscriminate dumping roadsides, near markets and other

public places [BOS, 2011].

E-waste constitutes less than 1% of general solid waste in African countries. It is generated

by a general category of electronic and electrical products including broken or obsolete

televisions, computer monitors, central processing units (CPU), cordless and cell phones,

cash registers, videocassette recorders, cell phones, copiers and printers, stereos and

speakers, microwaves, x-ray machines, microwaves, fridges, air conditioners,

nickel/cadmium batteries and some scientific equipment. These products may contain toxic

materials such as lead, barium, mercury, and cadmium that require proper management as

well as valuable resources that should be recovered, such as gold.


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E-waste is known to contain hazardous components that may have a detrimental effect on

waste handlers, for example, mercury, cadmium, and other heavy materials, endocrine

disrupting substances such as brominated flame retardants that have a negative impact on

health and the environment. Therefore e-waste, once generated, has to be handled with care

in order to prevent such effects.

Hazardous substances are released during various dismantling and disposal operations and

are particularly severe during the burning of cables to liberate copper and of plastics to

reduce waste volumes. Open burning of cables is a major source of dioxin emissions, a

persistent organic pollutant that travels over long-distances and bio-accumulates in

organisms up through the global food chain.

1.2.4 E-Waste Categories

Any old, end-of-life electronic appliances, which have been disposed of by their original

users such as:

Information Communication Technology (ICT) equipment, e.g. PCs, servers,accessories and peripheral equipment (monitors, keyboards, printers, scanners,

speakers, earphones);

Office machines, e.g. fax and copy machines, typewriters, paper shredders,overhead projectors;

Equipment used in the graphics industry, e.g. printing systems, lighting, anddevelopment machines;

Telecommunications equipment, e.g. cellular phones, telephone equipment,telephone exchange systems;

Consumer electronics, e.g. recording equipment, television sets, video projectors,cameras, radios, satellite receivers, loudspeakers;

Accessories, consumables and packaging, e.g. CDs, disks, toner cartridges,headphones, cables, packaging; and

Household equipment, e.g. fridges, microwaves, washing machines, stoves.


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It is recognised that this list can never be exhaustive as new gadgets, appliances and

accessories are developed because of new innovative technology inputs to make life easier.

1.2.5 Problem Statement

The list of electronic products has grown astronomically in the last decade due to

technological advancement and scientific innovation; therefore electronic and electrical

equipment waste stream will need special management and a robust regulatory framework.

Although electronic wastes comprise less than 1 percent of the municipal solid waste

stream, this rapidly growing segment of waste is one of substantial concern because of its

hazardous and toxic materials content.

Rapid technological advances and lower product prices for more powerful machines arecontributing to shorter product life spans and frequent replacement. Electronic equipment

quickly loses its resale value. Yet, consumers are more likely to store their old electronics,

believing that they still has value, by stockpiling products in a garage, closet, warehouses or

storage space. As Lesotho grows and diversifies its economy, it is influenced by rapid

technological advances and high penetration of electronic and electrical products and

depends on its benefits to improve the quality of life of her citizens.

Current EEE designs and marketing strategies by manufacturers exacerbate e-waste

generation and accumulation at a rapid rate with no concomitant strategy to remove e-waste

from the environment. Reasons for high generation rates are discussed below:

1.2.5.1 High Obsolescence Rate of EEE

Consumers need electronic and electrical equipment for household use, for growing their

business, for ease of communication, for saving lives at hospitals and for other uses; hence

the volumes of EEE bought has grown at a rapid rate. New technology is constantlyemerging making old equipment and appliances no longer desirable even if they are still

working. Furthermore, some electronic products are designed for the dump because they

simply do not last as long as they should; they are cheaper to replace than to repair. For

those EEE that can be fixed, there are few places where they can be taken in and repaired.


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The general trend is to buying new electronics and electrical equipment and tossing out the

old ones.

1.2.5.2 Mobile Phone Upgrades

Consumers sign contracts with mobile phone service providers that typically allow free or

very inexpensive upgrades every two years. Mobile phone companies get consumers to stop

using working cell phones simply because there is something newer in the market, possibly

with more interesting features. Many households have storage space filled with discarded

phones, MP3 players, a tangle of earphones, battery chargers and cords.

1.2.5.3 Hardware Failures

Most laptops and desktops sold in the market last for up to three years, after which there is

constant hardware malfunction and crashes that leaves consumers frustrated, making them

to abandon them and buy new ones.

1.2.5.4 Digital TV Conversion from Analogue

The advent of new technology of broadcasters switching from analogue to digital TV has

seen many consumers getting rid of good working TV to acquire high density TV (HDTV)

technology. Broadcasters and manufacturers alike emphasise the need to change to digitaltechnology for better viewing. .In the period 2010-2011, the Lesotho National Broadcasting

Services discarded thousands of EEE when changing from analogue to digital. With

energy-saving light emitting diode (LED), there is a gradual shift to replace LCD in TVs to

LED.

1.2.5.5 Cheaper Printers

Manufactirung companies put in the market cheaper consumer-grade printers with various

interesting features such as faxing, photo printing, and scanning. They also have specials

that get consumers an additional printer for free when they buy computers or other

electronic gadgets. Printer manufacturers also get consumers hooked on these cheap

printers while making more money from selling toners and ink cartridges.


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These printers often malfunction and do not last long; if broken it is difficult for consumers

to find someone who could fix them other than the manufacturer. Besides, it would be

cheaper to just buy a new one.

There is a lack of reliable data on the generation, collection, import and exports, and

management of e-waste, a global trend that has already been identified. Hence Lesotho is in

the process of initiating surveys to better define and understand the problem, to further

identify toxic constituents in end-of-life electronic and electronic equipment and impacts

caused, to develop environmentally sound management strategies and legal instruments for

enforcement and compliance.

Depending on the baseline data indicating the scale of e-waste problem, pilot projects

would be developed which may benefit the country in identifying the sources of e-waste,

case studies for successful collections, and building infrastructure and technical expertise

for downstream industries, such as refurbishing and recycling.

The baseline data should identify, in particular, types of EEE that have the greatest risk of

impacting on human health and the environment. Furthermore, equipment with the greatest

economic potential for refurbishment and recycling should also be identified as these may

be the backbone of a successful refurbishing and recycling industry.

Legal instruments have to be developed in order to protect human health and the

environment from harmful effects of e-waste dismantling process that leads to exposure to

harmful chemicals, occupational health; land-based pollution and emissions, safe and

proper treatment and disposal of final residues. In this regard, government should develop

standards, guidelines, procedures and regulatory mechanism for the e-waste sector.

1.3 Study Area

The Kingdom of Lesotho is a landlocked sovereign state completely surrounded by the

Republic of South Africa, divided into ten [10] administrative districts as tabled below. The

land cover area for the country is 30,355km2. Samples were taken from areas depicted in

bold type.


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Table 1: Proposed Geographic Spread- Districts

NORTH CENTRAL SOUTH

Berea Maseru* Mafeteng

Leribe Thaba-Tseka Mohales Hoek

Butha-Buthe Quthing

Mokhotlong Qachas Nek

Although majority of households are still dependent on biomass for energy sources;

Lesotho generates its own electricity through the Lesotho Highlands Development

Authority (LHDA) making it easier to use electrical and electronic equipment.

The population is served by Municipal Waste Management Services which provides with

regular municipality waste removal services. In 1999 the population served by municipal

waste collection was 270,071 and 382,340 in 2004. It is observed from the figure that the

population served by the municipal has been increasing throughout the years with 7.2

percent (Census, 2006). This indicates a positive relationship between number of people

and waste collected; as the number of people increases, the total amount of waste collected

also increases.

1.3.1 Type of Electricity Consumers

There are different sources of energy for lighting in the urban/rural residence. Sources of

energy analysed are; grid, generator, solar, battery, candles, gas and paraffin. Paraffin was

used in both urban and rural residence as the main source of lighting with 65,939 and

189,557 households respectively. In urban, the least number of households (198) used

Generator for lighting whilst in rural the least number of households (388) used Battery for

lighting (Census, 2006).

Furthermore, most of the households (255,496) used Paraffin as the main source of energy

for lighting throughout the country. The least number of households (602) usedGenerator

as the main source of energy for lighting. Paraffin and Candles were mostly used in all the

districts.


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Other than paraffin and candles, most households (21,520) in Maseru used Grid as the main

source of energy for lighting while Mokhotlong had fewer households (386) that used Grid

(Bureau of Statistics, 2011). Rural districts with no electricity are less likely to generate

large amounts of e-waste than districts with access to electricity networks.

Figure 1: Map of Lesotho showing District Borders
http://www.google.co.za/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=map+of+lesotho+districts&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=KxSlXzzaLxycjM&tbnid=HaZrl7UCPsX89M:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.golesotho.co.za/Map.html&ei=RVQbUd22No-U0QXYz4CYCQ&psig=AFQjCNGac9KkmzPPYDSiwbJBL0m0pf61Fg&ust=1360831811827664


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1.3.2 Main source of Energy for Heating in Districts

Many households in Lesotho (217,223) used Wood as the main source of energy for

heating. Leribe had more households (36,207) that used Wood as the main source of energy

for heating and Qachas Nek had fewer households (9,599) than other districts. BesidesWood, Paraffin was commonly used source of energy with 144,776 households. The least

number of households (271) used Solar as the main source of energy for heating whereby

Maseru had 95 households and Mokhotlong had fewer households (7) that used Solar as the

main source of energy for heating. Table 2 shows the number of households by District and

source of energy for lighting.

Table 2:Number of Households by District and Source of Energy for Lighting in 2006

District Grid Generator Solar Battery Gas Paraffin Candles

Butha Buthe 907 23 73 25 87 12,225 10,372

Leribe 3,643 104 344 181 488 33,864 28,031

Berea 9,356 80 148 82 282 6,349 20,243

Maseru 21,520 172 285 256 898 63,410 23,367

Mafeteng 2,049 s41 139 66 236 26,516 13,871

Mohales Hoek 1,391 83 183 58 122 27,876 7,774

Qachas Nek 491 26 60 26 77 17,674 5,154

Quthing 751 46 62 14 97 10,190 2,955

Mokhotlong 386 12 52 22 66 14,808 5,062

Thaba-Tseka 557 15 55 16 55 22,484 3,537

Lesotho 41,051 602 1,401 746 2,408 255,496 120,366

Source: Census 2006

Waste disposal is a growing problem and is directly connected with industrial development

and population growth. It refers to collection, processing, managing and monitoring of

waste material produced by human activities. Solid waste management is one of the most

important functions of the society and local government. Using an integrated approach to

waste management and best available technologies plays a huge role in providing a safe and

healthy environment and protection against substances that can damage human health.


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Generally, majority of households in Lesotho were disposing waste at own refuse dumps.

Census (2006) data indicated that 88.0 percent of the households in Lesotho used own

refuse dump to dispose solid waste. The least percentage share of households (1.0 percent)

received irregular waste collection service.

Lesotho is a signatory to the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary

Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, which defines electronic electrical

equipment as hazardous waste due to toxic components they contain.

The Convention has developed comprehensive guidelines and assessment tools for

collecting data on the status of e-waste with respect to amounts generated and geographical

spread, assessment of potential risk and the capacity of the country to manage e-waste in an

environmentally sound manner which have been adopted and adapted to country

conditions.

1.4 Project Objectives

The overall objective of this project is to undertake a comprehensive assessment of the

amounts of e-waste generated, showing the geographical spread, tracking obsolete

electronic and electrical equipment by generating mass flow diagrams along the value chain

and analysing all data collected for decision-making. This data will be a baseline of a

national database required for planning, addressing the needs, and finding solutions and

interventions for the ESM of used and end-of-life electric and electronic equipment.

Information on current e-waste management practices will be sourced and used as a basis

for implementing sound environmental management practices. Furthermore, based on

information gathered on the ground, a regulatory regime for the management of e-waste

would be developed. This would involve discussing e-waste management options for

framing an e-waste operational plan for the country.

1.5 Project Outcome

The goal is to generate baseline data on which strategies to control and or prevent the

potential damage of e-waste in Lesotho can be developed.


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CHAPTER 2: SCOPE OF WORK

2.1 Scope of Work

The Scope of Work was determined as per Terms of Reference of the RFP NO.

MTEC/ENV-O1/11-12. The work was implemented under the general guidance and direct

supervision of the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture [MTEC], Lesotho.

2.1.1 The development of E-waste Inventory

A comprehensive assessment of how used electrical and electronic equipments (EEE) is

generated, collected, imported/exported, repaired, sold, dismantled, recycled and disposed

of in the country will be undertaken as an initial step to understand the extent of the e-waste

problem.

Activities associated with this task are the following:

Identify how used EEE are collected, imported/exported, repaired, sold, dismantled,and recycled;

Identify the status of implementation of measures for environmentally soundmanagement of used and waste EEE;

Estimate amount of used and waste EEE generated;2.1.2 Establishing Legal Framework for e-Waste Management

Develop a Model Regulatory Framework for environmental sound management of e-waste

in order to protect its citizens and the environment from harmful effects of e-waste without

stifling economic growth and industrial innovation.

Activities undertaken include the following:

Develop regulatory regimes (with instruction) and guidelines for used and wasteEEE management (i.e. Location, transportation, dismantling, recycling, residues

management, import/export;

Provide regulatory tools for extended producer responsibility;


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Align import/export of used and e-waste with Prior Informed Consent (PIC)procedure of the Basel Convention procedure;

Establish legal tools for development of standards, guidelines, and procedures forenvironmentally sound management of e-waste.

2.2 Types of EEE under Investigation

The following electrical and electronic equipments will be under consideration:

Television sets; Radios; Computer sets with CRT monitors or LCD Monitors and Notebooks; Washing Machines; Mobile phones; Refrigerators; Air conditioners; Rechargeable batteries (mobile phones); and Electrical tubes and bulbs.

The life-cycle approach was used to understand the flow of electrical and electronic

equipments in the value chain until they become obsolete and contributing to the e-waste

stream.

2.3 Expected Deliverables

The overall project deliverables were the following:

An Inception Report which outlines the methodology to be undertaken andtimeframes;

An Inventory Report based on the Terms of Reference and the initial discussionswith the MTEC management team;

A Model Regulatory Framework for e-waste management; and A final Inventory Report incorporating comments from all stakeholders and MTEC.


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CHAPTER 3: APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY

3.1 Approach and Methodology

This section describes the methodology followed by Enviroxllence to ensure the successful

implementation of the terms of reference and compilation of the final report. The total of 3

months was allocated for the completion of the project. An additional 14 days were added

to refine the project outputs.

The following steps were followed:

Figure 2: Project phases and associated activities.

3.2 Task 1: Basic Assessment of EEE

A comprehensive assessment of the measures taken to collect, import/export, repair, sell to

the markets, dismantle, recycle and dispose of used electrical and electronic equipments

(EEE) in the country was undertaken as an initial step to understand the extent of the e-

waste problem.

The team used the format outlined in the e-Waste Assessment Methodology Manual

published by EMPA (13 October 2009, v0.4 Draft) under the Basel Convention.

The following methods were used:


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3.2.1 Product Scope: Electrical and Electronic Equipment Targeted

Table 3 shows targeted EEE as per Terms of Reference, showing data sources and methods

of data collection.

Table 3: Data Collected, Showing Data Source and Collection Method

DATA DATA SOURCEDATA COLLECTION

METHOD

Waste Quantity

Number of collected used EEE:

Personal Computers (PC),

Notebooks, Television Sets (TV), Air

Conditioners (AC), Mobile Phones

(MP), Refrigerators (RF); Light Bulbs

Offices and Institutions Households EEE Shops Repair Shops Second-hand Shops

Statistical Report Survey Interview

Number of imported used EEE Number of exported used EEE

Customs Department (CD) Statistical Report Survey Interview

Number of repaired used EEE Trade Department (TD) Repair Shops Households Offices and Institutions EEE Shops

List of RepairShops

Survey Interview

Number of sold used EEE EEE Shops CD Statistical Report

Number of dismantled used EEE TD Dismantlers Households

List of Dismantlers Survey Interview

Process

Collection of used EEE Used Materials Collectors Survey Interview

Import of used EEE CD

Importers/Exporters

Survey Interview

Export of used EEE Used Materials Collectors Repair Shops Second-hand Shops EEE Traders Importers/Exporter

Survey Interview


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Repair of used EEE Repair Shops Households Offices and Institutions EEE Shops

Survey Interview

Reassembling of used EEE Repair Shops Households Offices and Institutions EEE Traders

Survey Interview

Dismantling of used EEE Used Materials Collectors Survey Interview

Production

Number of domestically produced

EEE

Manufacturers Division-TradeDepartment

Manufacturers CD

Survey Interview Statistical Report

Number of imported EEE CD Statistical Report

3.2.2 Literature Review and Statistical Data

To undertake a data search, targeting various sources of information along the value chain,

including obtaining databases from manufacturers, importers/exporters, government sector,

procurement; using internet sites, special reports and press releases. Some information was

obtained from national statistics, census, and academic publications on the subject.

Some data was collected from internet sites and other statistical data provided by:

World Bank: World Development Indicators Database; Basel Convention; Millennium Development Goals; Environment and Energy Statistics Report (Bureau of Statistics, 2011); Statistical Yearbook published by Bureau of Statistics; Other National Reports.


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3.2.3 Collecting Data by Conducting Surveys

Questionnaires were developed, determining a sample size from 5 districts within the three

[3] administrative areas to constitute a representative sample. Interviews were conducted

covering industry sector, households that use appliances and equipment and entrepreneurs

in the scrap metal business. Surveys were conducted through the following methods:

Distribution to households, academic institution, industry sector, scrap yards andrefurbishing enterprises, dumping site operator in Maseru, etc., and

Through site visits and observation within the country.3.2.4 The Hierarchy for Handling e-waste

E-waste best management practices dictate that the waste should be processed in the most

environmentally sound methods to avoid contamination of the environment, its natural

resources such as water, land and air. A waste management hierarchy for electronics and

processing residuals, in order of preference, is listed below:

Reuse of electronics equipment, components, or resultant components or parts;

Repair of broken EEE and extending their life span; Recycling equipment or components for material recovery. Management of components for energy recovery. Disposal of components via landfill or incinerator.

3.2.5 Sampling Plan

Districts with smaller population generate less waste than those with larger population in

particular, when household income levels increase, there is a high disposal income and

households acquire EEE that will eventually end up e-waste. Data from five (5) districts

out of ten (10) districts was collected. The districts were sampled such that they

represented each of the three (3) geographical spread. Sample districts are bolded in table

1.


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Lesotho is divided into ten [10] administrative districts as per the country map on figure 1.

For the purposes of this assignment [i.e. administration of questionnaires], in the three [3]

geographic areas shown in the table 1, 5 Districts were identified as representative sample

areas including the rural, urban, industrialised and non-industrialised areas.

The 5 Districts sampled were the following:

Maseru Buthabuthe Leribe Mohales Hoek Qachas Nek

An assumption was made that the bulk of e-waste generation could come from the central

area, Maseru district, by virtue of it being the capital city with the large number of

households using electricity. Most of the various stakeholders identified and sampled

emanated from this area. This was also the only district that had an official dumping site

that had a management company operating it.

Table 4:Number of Population in each District in 2006

DISTRICT POPULATION AREA (km2) POPULATION

DENSITY

(Population/km2)

Berea 250 006 2 222 113

Butha-Buthe 110 320 1 767 62

Leribe 293 369 2 828 104

Mafeteng 192 621 2 119 91

Maseru 431 998 4 279 101

Mohales Hoek 176 928 3 530 50

Mokhotlong 97 713 4 075 24

Qachas Nek 69 749 2 349 24

Quthing 124 048 2 916 43


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Thaba Tseka 129 881 4 270 30

Source: Population and Housing Census, 2006

3.2.6 Sample Size

The survey was conducted according to the Guideline on Development of E-waste

Inventory. A total of 400 questionnaires (Appendix B) were developed for distribution and

data collection through interviews by the researchers; however, only 379 interview surveys

were completed:

218 households; 83 offices (business entities and institutions); 5 Importers and Exporters; 3 Collectors; 4 Manufacturers; 42 Traders; and 24 Repairers.

3.2.7 Field studies

Site visits were undertaken to gather as much information as possible to meet the objectives

of the project, including taking of photos, identifying exact location and taking coordinates

that can be mapped to show spatial distribution within the country (Figure 19).

The following sites were visited:

Second (2nd) hand markets Dismantling facilities Recycling facilities Disposal sites.

3.2.8 Meetings


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Meetings with various stakeholders including consumers, government sector, industry and

experts were held to gather additional information, verifying collected data, current

practices and disposal methods.

Data of other products which were not in the specified list were included in the assessment

as they were found to be a significant waste stream, in particular, as household e-waste

generated by households as listed below:

Hair dryers; Heaters; Kettles; Toasters; Calculators; Fans; Irons; Vacuum cleaners; Generators; Geysers.

A workshop was conducted to verify the relevance, accuracy and applicability of datacollected.

Table 5: Five Regions that were sampled for each source of e-waste

E-Waste

sources

Maseru uthaButhe eribe ohales

oek

Qachas

nek

Total

1. Households 69 50 50 40 9 2182. Offices and

Institutions30 15 15 8 15 83

3. Importers andexporters

5 0 0 0 0 5

4. Collectors 2 0 1 0 0 35. Manufacturers 3 0 1 0 0 4


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6. Traders 20 8 6 5 3 427. Repairers 16 7 0 1 0 24

Total 145 80 73 54 27 379

3.3 Public Awareness and Participation

3.3.1 Stakeholder Consultation Meetings and Workshop

Consultative meetings were arranged with key stakeholders as identified by the Client. The

purpose of the meetings including stages of engagement is outlined in the following

diagram:


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Figure 3: Stages of Engagement for consultation

Project meetings and workshops have become a platform for education and awareness

opportunities, helping stakeholders of all sectors to familiarise themselves with the terms

used to describe e-waste, understand the regulatory climate available and required and share

knowledge on best practices to be implemented to improve current unsustainable e-waste

management practices. Comments and information was offered by stakeholders to enrich

the final product.

Further actions, such as setting up clean-up campaigns should be planned to encourage e-

waste stakeholders and affected communities to be aware of environmental and health risksrelating to illegal dumping of e-waste and also allow them to walk the talk.

As part of awareness campaigns, pamphlets and fact sheets can be produced to further

communicate potential risks posed by e-waste, and identify take-back or EEE deposit

centres once they are established.

Most industry partners already have educational reading material that they use in those

countries where systems are already established, for example, HP and Dell are already

running take-back programmes in South Africa and abroad. In this regard, an outreach

programme can use these resources and adapt them to the country setting.

3.3.2 Education and Awareness Programmes

An education and public awareness programme should be initiated to include the following:

Door to door initiatives to encourage cleaning out of household storage areas filledwith obsolete and non-functional electronic gadgets and separation of e-waste at

source;

Schools awareness campaigns and encouraging them to be eco-friendly schools; Schools competitions on e-waste initiatives;


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Propose that the Greening of the Nation programme for schools and communities byMTEC in partnership with industry and other funders for e-waste management

initiatives such as recycling and reuse of recyclable material;

Mobilise industry to sponsor the Awareness on Recycling, Minimise, and Reuse andtake-back initiatives;

Develop educational material on e-waste and illegal dumping.3.4 Mass Flow Assessment

A graphic representation of how e-waste flows circulate in the value chain was defined,

showing various stakeholders and players in the life of components, firstly as usable items

moving from manufacturers, importers, retailers, private and corporate consumers, and upon

their deterioration to refurbishment to disposal, and further collected by e-waste scrap

dealers. Some components ended up at landfill sites once they are rendered non-functional

and useless.

3.4.1 Level of repair/refurbishment necessary for reuse or recycling

The level at which an EEE item is non-functional and can be repaired or refurbished for

reuse or recycling was determined, reporting also the percentages of reuse or recycling per

item.

3.4.2 Level of dismantling and recycling

The level of dismantling of EEE products which were no longer fit for use and recycling of

components were determined. Through data analysis, percentages of such components were

obtained.

Data on locality of dismantling and recycling workshops, methodologies or technologies

used, including compliance with manufacturers recommendations, was collected.

3.5 Disposal method for residues for dismantling and recycling operation

At each dismantling and recycling facility, information on the disposal methods of residues

was identified, including the extent of dumping waste in communal dumps, along the side of


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the roads and also placing waste residues in general waste collection bins for disposal at the

landfill site.

3.6 Environmental problems due to reuse/recycling and disposal of used EEE

Our approach included identification of negative impacts on the environment due to reuse,

recycling and disposal of used EEE through emissions to the air, water and land.

A quick scan of facilities was undertaken to determine their environmental compliance in

terms of environmental policies, ISO accreditation, treatment methodologies, air control

systems and extraction fans, dust control measures, and other measures in place to prevent

environmental impacts.

Previous history of land contamination, water and air pollution will also be recorded,

including previous directives and violations, if any.

3.7 Poverty Reduction through Public Private Partnerships [PPP]

Stakeholder assessment will be extended to include identification of NGOs and/or entities

that are willing to address poverty reduction within the e-waste management framework by

opting for PPPs.

3.8 Estimate the amount of used and waste EEE generated

Current methods of collecting data to estimate the amount of used and waste EEE generated

will be identified including their accuracy and verification methods. Development indicators

will also add value to the process of estimating data which is not available by extrapolating

from National Statistics, World Development Indicators published by the World Bank,

UNDP Reports on Human Development and other such publications on economic

development data by SADC and SACU.

3.8.1 Amount of brand new EEE domestically produced/shipped and imported/exported

This information will be sought from manufacturers, exporters, importers, and the national

Customs database. This information could be obtainable from MTEC, the Competent


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Authority as defined in the Basel Convention on Trans-boundary of Hazardous Waste, if

exported as waste EEE, otherwise Customs document all exported items.

Data on used EEE that is repaired, reassembled and dismantled will be sought from

facilities that undertake these operations. A questionnaire will also assist in gathering

valuable information from repair shops and retailers of used goods. The source of such used

EEE goods were identified and included in the mass flow diagrams.

3.8.2 Amount of used EEE discarded at present and in the future

Mass Flow models will assist in obtaining this data and will be calculated from EEE

manufactured or imported, the expected functional life of that product, whether it can be

repaired if broken and refurbished for reuse, whether it can be recycled in whole or somecomponents can be recycled and what finally ends up as obsolete components destined for

disposal.

Percentage of used EEE discarded currently will be used for extrapolating future value, by

identifying trends in consumption and use of EEE in the country.

3.8.3 Generation and management of residues generated from repair/reassembling,

dismantling, and processing

Site visits to facilities and undertaking an audit of their operations, waste generation and

management of residues generated from repair, reassembling, dismantling and processing

will produce valuable data for future planning and sound management of residues.

It will also assist facilities to develop pollution abatement policies, Integrated Waste

Management Plans and compliance with regulations.

3.9 Identify the status of implementation of measures for ESM of used and WEEE

Facilities that handle used and waste EEE should have plans to implement environmentally

sound management of used and waste EEE. Where this plan does not exist, other measures

that seek to meet this goal will be identified, including the development of regulations and

guidelines by government on sound management of used and waste EEE.


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3.10 Massflow Assessment

Assessment of flow of equipment from point of production along the value chain was

undertaken in order to determine trends in e-waste generation and fate of e-waste through

the life cycle through the following steps:

Identification of massflow system Quantification of massflows Extrapolation of current massflows to identify future trends

3.11 Limitations

The concept of e-waste assessment is relatively new in Lesotho, hence the followinglimitations to this assessment:

a) Methodology Used

There was a general lack of data pertaining to e-waste and therefore the currentsurvey generated the first e-waste baseline database; and

Lesotho consists of 10 Districts, however, 5 districts were used a representativesample. With more human, financial resources and timeframe, all 10 districts could

have been covered to give the exact baseline value in Lesotho as opposed to

projected;

For most respondents, there was a thin line between obsolete products which couldbe repaired for reuse and e-waste. For example, respondents placed non-functional

equipment in storage for future repair and reuse; however, the length of storage had

exceeded 2 years without any action taken.

b) Data Collection

There was a general lack of data from stakeholders because no such data wascollected;


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Where available, data sources on e-waste were dispersed over a variety of entities,institutions, and stakeholders. The majority of data in this report is the secondary

data collected from various stakeholders as administrative records and as anecdotal.

There was reluctance by some business entities to divulge information regarded asconfidential business information, some fearing that it could be used against them

for tax purposes;

Data published in this report were collected from different sources includingGovernment Ministries and Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) as well as

private sector. Some were derived from specialized studies conducted by BOS

undertaken to address certain environmental concerns;

Massflow data has some gaps whereby some areas lack completeness in the datasets. This in turn results in a set of information which does not sufficiently answer

some questions about environmental status and concerns in the trends.

Many stakeholders asserted that they do not have resources to collect data andcontinuously and consistently update their records. Furthermore, they indicated that

there was no legal requirement to do so except for tax purposes;

Most recycling, dismantling and refurbishing entities did not know that they arehandling e-waste and they could be expected to collect data on what they handled;

Some data represented was extracted from the 2006 Census and may be regarded asoutdated; and

The base periods are not the same for all the data sets collected, because data setsthat could be equally pegged on the same period could not be found, for example,

waste in storage is represented at present value and not within a specific timeframe

that shows accumulation over time.


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CHAPTER 4: ANALYSIS OF SURVEY RESULTS

4.1 E-Waste Components and Management

The project goal is to undertake a nationwide survey.

The Status Quo Analysis Report provides a comprehensive situational assessment and

analysis of waste management systems and implementation capacity in the municipality,

seen as the first step in understanding the current status for waste management planning. A

full analysis of approaches and challenges currently utilized by municipality towards

fulfilling their role in waste collection services will be made.

4.1.1 Sample Size

The survey was conducted according to the Guideline on Development of E-waste

Inventory. A total of 400 questionnaires (Appendix A) were developed for distribution and

data collection through interviews by the researchers; however, only 379 interview surveys

were completed:

218 households; 83 offices (business entities and institutions); Importers and Exporters; Collectors; Manufacturers; 42 Traders; and 24 Repairers.

4.1.2 Field studies

Site visits were undertaken to gather as much information to meet the objectives of the

project, including taking of photos, identifying exact locale and taking coordinates that can

be mapped to show spatial distribution within the country (figure 19).

The following sites were visited:


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Second (2nd) hand markets Dismantling facilities Recycling facilities Landfills.

4.2 E-waste Generation

Solid waste is defined as the useless and unwanted products in the solid state derived from

the activities of society. Current waste management practices in Lesotho show that waste

can be disposed off in communal refuse dump, own refuse dump and roadside dump.

Generally, majority of households (about 88%) were disposing waste at own refuse dumps

(Census, 2006).

Figure 4 depicts the percentage share of households by type of solid waste disposal for the

year 2006. It is observed from the figure that 88.0 percent of the households in Lesotho

used Own Refuse Dump to dispose solid waste. The least percentage share of households

(1.0 percent) had their waste collected by municipality, albeit irregularly collected, and

transported to the landfill site for disposal.

Source: Census 2006

Figure 4: Percentage share of household waste collection and disposal practices in Lesotho


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E-waste forms a small fraction of general waste. Based on current waste collection and

disposal patterns, e-waste co-mingled with general waste could be found disposed in

backyard pits, illegally dumped on the roadside or collected for disposal at the landfill.

4.2.1 Households

A graphic representation of how e-waste flows circulate in the value chain is defined

below. It shows the various stakeholders and players in life circle of components, firstly as

usable items moving from manufactures, importers, retailers, private and corporate

consumers, upon their deterioration to refurbishment and e-waste scrap dealers.

This establishment of a material flow within a geographical boundary assists in identifying

networks of different phases of EEE.

PHASE 1

This phase is identified by stakeholders such as manufacturers, importers, exporters and

retailers dealing with either new or second hand EEE. The processes involved represented

by pointing arrows include production, sales and returning of items for repairs and

exchange.

PHASE 2

This phase is identified by consumers: offices, institutions and industry consuming EEE.

The processes involved represented by the pointing arrows include collection, store and

repairs of used EEE at stakeholders workplace and homes.

PHASE 3

This phase is identified by stakeholders including consumers, importers, collectors, traders,

dismantlers, repairers and other e-waste generators. Processes involved represented by the

pointing arrows include end-of-life EEE collection, transfer to treatment, trade in,

importation and exportation.


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PHASE 4

This phase is identified by e-waste collectors such as governmental waste collectors,

independent e-waste collectors and recyclers. Major activity involved represented by the

pointing arrows is disposal alternatives for EEE, such as repair, decontaminating,

dismantling, shredding, landfill and incineration.

Figure 5: Current EEE Market Supply Methods

4.2.2 Manufacturers and Producers

Only four big manufacturers were identified and interviewed in this survey, giving an

estimated amount of brand new EEE domestically produced, shipped, imported or

exported. There were no means to verify this information as it was considered

confidential business information. Furthermore, of the amounts produced, it was not

clear how much was sold to the public. Such information data gaps made it impossible

to draw up Massflow charts.

EEE-CONSUMPTION

RESIDUES

SCRAP DEALERS


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Table 6: Brand New EEE Domestically Produced

Name of

manufacturer

Type of EEE

produced

Approximate

amount

produced/day

Exporting

interval

Market

Crabtree (a) Circuits

(b) Switch

17 300

10 400

Every two

days

South Africa (SA)

CBI (Circuit

Breakers Industry)

Circuit Breakers Not given Monthly Johannesburg(SA)

Lefase Lesotho

Manufacturing

TV: LCDs, LEDs

and Plasma

5 000 Monthly SA

Philips Lighting

Maseru

Globes 47 000 Weekly SA, SACU

countries, Dubai

Egypt

Sudan

Table 7: Quantities of brand new imported and exported goods per month

Commodity Imported Exported

1. Waste cells and batteries 7000 1002. TV and video monitors 136700 469003. Radio 62000 6004. Telephones and teleprinter 100000 05. Hairdryers, heaters, stoves and microwaves 214500 1006. Electric shavers, clippers and parts 7700 07. Vacuum pumps, air pumps and refrigerating

compressors

29200 2600

8. Air conditioners and parts 18000 7009. Refrigerators, freezers and parts 18900 010. Generating sets 13800 011. Cells, batteries and parts 57700 012. Vacuum cleaners, polishers and food processors 18900 013. Portable electric lamps 186400 014. Industrial, laboratory furnace 2200 015. Electric welders 10300 200


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Of the total EEE imported as per our sample size, computers are the most imported

products in Lesotho, consisting of 19.3%, followed by hairdryers, heaters, stoves and

microwaves at 10.0%.The least imported products were TVs, cameras and transmission

apparatus which constitute about 0.00911% of imported goods.

There was no information available to show how imported EEE were distributed

throughout Lesotho; therefore tracking of goods through Massflow was impossible. The

most exported EEE were switches, plugs and sockets which were manufactured in Lesotho

and then exported to RSA.

4.2.3 Import and Export of EEE

Table 8: Companies involved in Import and Export of Used EEE (Distributors)

Company Name District Types of EEE

CAMARA Leribe Computers

Prestige Furniture Maseru Breadmakers

Lifes Comfort Solutions

(LCS)Maseru All kinds of EEE

City Lights Maseru All small EE appliances

Kaybon Satellites MaseruSatellites, decoders, refrigerators,stoves

Sha Computers MaseruComputers and peripheralcomponents

Econet Telecom Lesotho

(ETL)Maseru

Phones, cellphones and

accessories

Vodacom Lesotho (VCL) Maseru Cellphones and accessories

Quadrant Computers Maseru Computers

Lewis Furniture MaseruTVs, Fridges, and all household

appliances

Ellerines Furniture MaseruTVs, Fridges, and all household

appliances

Puretec Leribe, Buthabuthe All small EE appliances

OK Furniture Leribe, MaseruTVs, Fridges, and all household

appliances

Hardware Marketing Leribe, Maseru All kinds of EEE

SABA gifts and Electronics Buthabuthe All kinds of EEE

Hitec Electronics Buthabuthe All kinds of EEE

Lewis furniture ButhabutheTVs, Fridges, and all household

appliances


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Lesotho has a small fraction of EEE manufacturers making only 5.48% of total factories in

Lesotho. Our interaction with them through interviews showed that they have no

information on e-waste management. Camara which imports and distributes used

computers had good strategies for environmentally sound management of e-waste.

However, they have not yet implemented exported any obsolete computers to country of

origin as yet since none has been returned from clients.

There was a general lack of awareness of e-waste stream as waste with the potential to

release harmful and toxic substances when it becomes waste. Therefore the need to inform

these companies on e-waste management and the potential of e-waste to cause harm to

humans and the environment upon its becoming waste has been identified for further

action.

4.2.4 Domestic shipment per year

The data was collected through interviews with importers and exporters of EEE as well as

the Customs Department of the Lesotho Revenue Authority. The data from Customs was

the most reliable as most importers and exporters of EEE do not keep proper records.

However this data had shortcomings in the way items were grouped as it did not give

precise amounts. Customs records do not separate used and brand new EEE imported, they

assume all EEE imported is new.

To address the problems, a recommendation could be made to the Customs department to

group EEE in such a way that data taken can be meaningful and can be used to measure

imported and exported electrical and electronic equipment including obsolete products.

A five year projection was made from customs data based on previous trend of import and

export of EEE observed in five years.


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Table 9: Quantities of new and used EEE domestically produced, imported and exported per year

ITEM BRAND NEW EEE USED EEE

TOTAL

DOMESTIC

SHIPMENT

PRODUCTION IMPORT EXPORT DOMESTIC

SHIPMENT

IMPORT EXPORT

1. TV 60000 1367 60000 1367 0 198 11692. Refrigerator, freezers and parts 0 189 0 189 0 11 1783. Radio 0 620 6 614 0 121 5034. Printing machinery including ink

jet machinery

0 874 2 872 0 0 8720

5. Computers 0 412800 100 412700 607 216 4133076. Washing machines 0 180 7 173 0 9 1647. Dry cleaning machines 0 22 2 20 0 0 208. Photocopiers and printers 0 180 2 178 0 49 1299. Air conditioners 0 180 7 173 0 17310. Mobile phones, batteries and parts 0 1647 0 0 311 133611. Electrical tubes and bulbs 0 2248 0 2248 0 95 215312. Hairdryers, heaters and stoves 0 2145 1 2144 0 185 195913. Electric shavers, clippers and parts 0 77 0 77 0 5 7214. Vacuum pumps, air conditioners

and refrigerators compressors and

parts

0 296 26 270 0 18 252

15. Generators 0 138 0 138 0 39 9916. Industrial laboratory furnace 0 22 0 22 0 6 1617. Electric welders 0 103 2 101 0 5 9618. Microphones, loudspeakers,

earphones and amplifiers

0 291 0 291 0 0 156

19. Record players 0 102 1 101 0 1


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20. Tape recorders or producers 0 26 0 26 0 521. Video recorders 0 840 3 837 0 3022. TV camera and transmission

apparatus

0 195 1 104 0 9

23. TV remote control 0 840 1 839 0 124. Antenna, reflectors and parts 0 1464 0 1464 0 125. Electrical signal/traffic

control

0 230 0 230 0 9

26. Burglar/fire alarms 0 131 0 131 0 827. Printed circuits 0 354 70 284 0 428. Circuit breakers 0 820 68 752 0 429. Switches, plugs and socket 0 1171 302 869 0 030. Boards, panels, consoles and

switches

0 378 5 373 0 0

31. .Lamps 0 384 0 384 0 032. TV camera tubes, microwave tubes

and cathode tubes

0 64 0 64 0 0

33. Medical, surgical or laboratorysterilizers

0 97 0 97 0 0

34.

Industry machines0 24 0 24 0 6

35. Filter and purify machines andparts

0 565 0 565 0 6

36. packing machinery 0 71 1 70 0 637. Weighing machinery 0 50 2 48 0 1038. Lawn mowers 0 96 0 96 0 039. Dairy machinery 0 9 0 9 0 140. Fruit juice production machinery 0 3 0 3 0 0


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Items in Table 9 are grouped according to a system used by customs. Customs records do

not separate used and brand new EEE imported, they assume all EEE imported is new

Domestic shipment = production + importexport

Total domestic shipment=new domestic shipment + used import.

According to Table 9 above, Televisions are the most produced in the country at the rate of

60 000 per month but they are all exported to RSA for distribution to users. TVs are not a

big problem to the environment since those that are produced are all exported to RSA and

of almost 15% of those that are imported for consumption are exported back. Electrical

tubes pose the most threat followed by mobile phones as most of them are imported into the

country and only a few fraction is exported back, therefore their majority end up in the

Lesotho e-waste stream. Table 10 below indicates quantities of domestic export per month,

with TVs and Video Monitors being the highest commodities exported monthly.

Table 10: Domestic quantities of used EEE exported (re-exports) per month

No. Commodity Used Exports

1. TV and video monitors 19800

2. Hairdryers, heaters, stoves and microwaves 18500

3. Amplifiers, speaker sets, earphones, microphones, loudspeakers 156004. Portable electric lamps 9500

5. Waste and scrap of cells and batteries 8200

6. Photocopiers and printers 4900

7. Telephones and teleprinter 4800

8. Video recorder 3000

9. Computers and printers 1800

10. Vacuum pumps, air pumps and refrigerating compressors 1800

11. Radio 1200

12. Refrigerators, freezers and parts 1100

13. Weighing machinery 100014. TV cameras, transmission apparatus 900

15. Electrical signal/traffic control 900

16. Washing machines 900

17. Air conditioners and parts 900

18. Burglar/fire alarms 800

19. Industrial, laboratory furnace 600


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20. Industry machines 600

21. Filter and purify machines and parts 600

22. packing machinery 600

23. Electric welders 500

24. Tape recorders/producers 500

25. Electric shavers, clippers and parts 500

26. Generating sets 400

27. Printed circuits 400

28. Circuit breakers 400

29. Vacuum cleaners, polishers and food processors 300

30. Cells, batteries and parts 100

31. Record players 100

32. Radio remote control apparatus 100

33. Antenna, refectors and parts 100

34. Dairy machinery 100

Figure6: Country Map showing e-waste hotspots


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Figure 7: Country Map showing e-waste hotspots


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Figure 8: Country map showing e-waste distribution

4.3 E-waste Collection and Storage

Local government, through district administrators contract private companies to provide

waste management services, including waste collection, supply of temporary storage

receptacles such as bins and skip bins, transportation and disposal. E-waste is lumped

together with general waste, and not treated differently or given special treatment.


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control from the landfill and for supplementary control measures for nuisance such as rats

and other vectors, birds, and flies.

Workers on site were not provided with operational plans to direct and control the use of

the site. No washing facilities were provided for workers to cleanse themselves at the end

of the day. Waste disposal sites are very dangerous facilities because they generate landfill

gas, or methane, which is very explosive. Therefore no smoking signs and fire hazard

signs should be displayed. There were no fire-fighting devices and first-aid equipment on

site.

4.4 Repair and Refurbishment of EEE

Table 12: Companies Involved in Repair or Reassembling of Used EEE;

Company Name Types of EEE Repaired

Maseru

1. Atech Electronics TVs, Computers, monitors, DVD players,

2. Lady C Electronics Generators, electrical grass trimmers

3. Refrigeration & Appliance

Centre

Re

Documents

Study E Waste Assessment Report Lesotho