An Assessment of E-Waste Management Challenges in Zambia

Abstract

Electronic wastes (E-waste) are wastes which contain harmful and toxic components that can harm the environment and human health. Therefore, proper E-waste management is cardinal for any nation but majority of the developing countries such as Zambia face challenges of managing E-waste. The aim of this research was to assess E-waste management challenges in Zambia. The study employed a descriptive quantitative research design and a sample size of 168 was determined using Yamane formula. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data and the collected data was analyzed using the Software Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).  The results revealed that lack of funds and investment, lack of recycling technologies, and inefficient infrastructure are significant challenges in managing E-Waste materials. However, the lack of government policies and regulation was found not to be a significant challenge. The regression analysis conducted showed that the correlation coefficient R (a relationship between E-waste management and E-waste management) indicated a moderately strong positive correlation of 0.76. The coefficient of determination, R Square, was 0.649, meaning that 64.9% of the variance in E-waste management can be explained by E-waste challenges. The recommendations for addressing e-waste management challenges in Zambia based on the results from the study are to develop a comprehensive e-waste management policy, increase public awareness, develop e-waste recycling infrastructure, encourage the circular economy, strengthen the capacity of regulatory bodies, and increase collaboration between stakeholders.