The National Secretary, Nigerian Environmental Society
(NES), Mr Paul Akporowho, has urged the Delta Government to formulate a policy
to ensure proper management of e-waste
in the State.
Akporowho said in Warri on Sunday that such a policy had
become necessary to address the indiscriminate dumping of electronic wastes in
the state.
He said the state government should procure recycling and
recovery equipment to convert such waste products into wealth.
The environmentalist noted that the Lagos State Government
had taken such measure to properly manage e-waste in the industrialised state.
“Delta should emulate Lagos State in managing its
electronic waste products.
“Here in Warri, you find electronic waste products
everywhere and this is very worrisome.
“If there is a policy framework on ground, it will help
in managing the situation; people will not dump such products indiscriminately.
“Discarded batteries, transmitters and other items are
everywhere and people pick them, remove the useful parts and throw the rest
into dump sites.
“The dump site at Orhe community on the Warri-Benin
expressway is one of such sites. A lot of the waste contains harmful chemicals
such as lead and mercury.
“When these chemicals contaminate the underground water,
same could be consumed by human beings through boreholes. Overtime, it could
affect the reproductive system and cause other health challenges”, he said.
Akporowho urged the state government to encourage the oil
multinationals operating in the state to also have in place an effective
e-waste management policy.
According to him, the oil companies generate a lot of
electronic waste materials.
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