Green Chemistry in Electronic Waste Management and Control in Africa

Abstract

Poverty and desirable consumption of ICTs have combined to impose used and inferior ICTs components on African countries in a hurry in the information milieu to address “information poverty,” bridge development gaps and minimize their exclusion and/or marginalization in the global market economy driven by globalization and powered by ICTs. The inferior and used ICTs components soon become unserviceable and improperly discarded, thus contributing to health and environmental hazards. The concept of Green or Sustainable Chemistry, which has the principles for management and control of the mounting e-waste generated as a result of increasing ICTs diffusion, is still at its infancy in Africa. Highlighting the crucial and diverse roles of Green Chemistry in e-waste management and control, the paper recommends a number of measures to enhance them.