Elecetronic waste. Photo | courtesy.
The Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) has called for stricter enforcement of electronic waste policies to curb the growing problem of harmful e-waste dumping.
According to a new report by the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Centre (WEEE Centre) and the CA, Kenya generated more than 53,000 tonnes of electronic waste through 2023 to 2025, with mobile phones, chargers, laptops, and other small IT devices accounting for over half of the total debris.
The surge in e-waste reflects Kenya’s growing digital uptake and consumer preference for compact electronics, many of which are discarded within two to five years of purchase.
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The study, which was supported by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and the East African Communications Organisation (EACO), warns that inadequate disposal channels and poor public awareness have allowed toxic materials from obsolete devices to leach into land and water sources.
“We are increasingly seeing households with drawers full of outdated gadgets, from old smartphones to broken chargers, yet very few know where or how to dispose of them properly,” said WEEE Centre Founder and CEO Bonnie Mbithi. “The toxic substances in these devices, like lead, mercury, and cadmium, pose a serious health and environmental risk.”
The findings, unveiled Wednesday, show that mobile phones made up 24 percent of all collected e-waste, followed closely by computing equipment and other small IT devices such as routers and power banks. Mbithi noted that while recycling capacity is expanding, the pace of e-waste generation continues to outstrip safe disposal mechanisms.
The CAK echoed these concerns, calling for stronger policy enforcement and greater private sector involvement in reverse logistics.
“We need to scale up the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework so that manufacturers and importers are held accountable for the lifecycle of their products,” said CAK Director of Public Education and Awareness Mwendia Kinyua.
The report calls for increased investment in formal collection and recycling infrastructure, better consumer education, and partnerships with telecom firms to create incentives for returning old gadgets.
It also recommends the establishment of e-waste drop-off points in shopping malls, learning institutions, and government offices.
Despite Kenya’s 2019 e-waste regulations, only a fraction of electronic waste is currently recycled, with most of it ending up in landfills or informal dumpsites. Experts say if left unchecked, the growing stockpile of digital waste could undermine the gains of Kenya’s digital economy.
WEEE Centre estimates that proper e-waste management could create over 10,000 jobs in collection, repair, and recycling, while also reducing the country’s reliance on imported raw materials.
