Product-service systems design for e-waste management: a case of waste electrical and electronic equipment centre, (weee centre) Nairobi County

Abstract

This study focuses on determining the existing e-waste management systems in Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Centre and in Nairobi County. It also investigates how Switzerland and India manage the waste from electronics. This study endeavors to develop a product service system for e-waste management in Nairobi County. Globally, among all other streams of waste, e-waste has surfaced to be one of the hastily growing streams due to the increased consumption of electronic products an outcome from technological product obsolescence because of the global rapid economic development. E-waste poses one of the greatest environmental challenges regionally as it is estimated that 3000 tons of e-waste from electronic devices is generated yearly in Kenya. Due to improper management system for e-waste, informal recycling procedures are still been used such as dumping and open air burning regardless of the fact that Nairobi undertakes formal e-waste recycling practices. Due to the potential hazards the e-waste posses, evaluation and establishment of efficient integrated e-waste management system is critical. The study utilized mixed methods research design. Purposive and random sampling was deployed to obtain study subjects. Surveys were used to obtain relevant data from study subjects. Data was analyzed using qualitative and quantitative methods and presented by the use of graphs and tables. From the study, it was revealed that there were existing gaps in collection, transportation, financing, producer responsibility, consumer awareness, stakeholder collaboration and in lack of e-waste flow monitoring policies. Information obtained from this study was used to develop a product service system that advocates for a shift from provision of products to provision of systems of products and services, collectively with stakeholders’ collaboration towards efficient e-waste management.