By Zipporah Steve,
Waste pickers working in Nairobi’s informal settlements are facing serious health risks as the volume of discarded electronics continues to grow, according to a new policy brief released by environmental advocates examining the e-waste crisis affecting Kenya and Ghana.
The report, launched in Nairobi during the United Nations International Day of Zero Waste, draws attention to the human and environmental cost of the rapid rise in electronic waste across the region. Researchers say many workers who sort through broken televisions, computers, and mobile phones do so without protective gear, exposing themselves to toxic materials released when the devices are dismantled or burned.
A survey conducted in Nairobi’s Korogocho settlement found that 61 percent of waste pickers reported health problems linked to handling electronic waste. Nearly half said they had experienced breathing complications, while more than a third reported persistent skin infections.
Kenya produces about 51,000 metric tonnes of electronic waste every year. Yet only a small share enters formal recycling channels. Most discarded electronics end up in informal yards and dumpsites where workers break them apart by hand to recover valuable metals such as copper and aluminium.
At the launch event, speakers said the scale of the problem is made worse by the country’s reliance on imported electronics. Roughly 70 percent of equipment used in Kenya comes from abroad, and some of it arrives when it is already close to the end of its lifespan.
Hellen Kahaso Dena, Pan-African Plastics Project Lead at Greenpeace Africa, said many African communities are carrying a burden created far beyond their borders.
“What we are seeing is waste colonialism,” she said. “Countries with more resources are pushing hazardous waste toward places that have fewer safeguards. Electronics often arrive labelled as donations or recycling, but many are already broken or obsolete.”
According to the organisation, only about one percent of Kenya’s electronic waste is handled through formal recycling systems. The rest is processed in informal settings where workers often burn cables and circuit boards or use chemicals to extract metals. These methods release dangerous substances including lead, cadmium and toxic fumes.
Kahaso said the figures reflect a wider health emergency among people who depend on waste collection for income.
“These numbers represent real lives. Behind every statistic is someone trying to make a living by sorting through discarded electronics with their bare hands,” she said.
Children are also involved in some parts of the informal recycling chain. Community groups report that boys and girls, some as young as six, help gather and burn wires to recover metals, exposing them to smoke containing harmful toxins.
Environmental advocates say the problem is not limited to Kenya. In Ghana, the Agbogbloshie site in Accra has become one of the largest destinations for discarded electronics in the world. Large volumes of waste arrive there each year, much of it traced back to Europe and North America.
Global waste flows shifted in 2017 after China stopped accepting foreign waste shipments. Analysts say the decision redirected large amounts of plastic, textile and electronic waste toward developing regions, including parts of Africa.
Much of this material is shipped under labels suggesting it is meant for reuse. In reality, a significant portion is non-functional and eventually ends up in open dumps or informal recycling sites. International agreements such as the Basel and Bamako conventions are meant to regulate the movement of hazardous waste, but campaigners say enforcement remains uneven.
During the Nairobi event, participants discussed steps that could help reduce the pressure on communities handling discarded electronics.
Among the proposals are stronger enforcement of Extended Producer Responsibility rules, which require manufacturers and importers to take responsibility for the full lifecycle of their products. Advocates also called for closer cooperation between customs officials and environmental agencies to prevent illegal shipments from entering the country.
Another key recommendation is to formally recognise informal waste collectors as part of the recycling system. Supporters say this would allow workers to receive training, protective equipment and access to safer recycling facilities.
Speakers also highlighted the need to build a stronger repair and refurbishment sector in Kenya. Extending the life of electronic products, they said, would reduce the volume of devices entering the waste stream while creating new job opportunities.
The Nairobi launch also featured a photo exhibition by Kenyan photojournalist Edwin Nyamasyo, whose images document the conditions faced by workers living and working around informal recycling sites in Kenya and Ghana.
“These photographs show what statistics alone cannot,” Nyamasyo told participants. “They show the people who live with the consequences every day.”
Environmental groups say public awareness will also play an important role in addressing the crisis. Many consumers are still unsure how to dispose of old electronics safely, and devices often end up in household rubbish or informal scrapyards.
Advocates hope the new policy brief will prompt broader action from governments, industry and consumers alike. Without stronger systems for collection, repair and recycling, they warn that the volume of discarded electronics will continue to rise, leaving the heaviest burden on the communities least equipped to deal with it.