JYX - Moving forward sustainably : material and social conditions of electronic waste management in Nigeria
Omokaro, Benedicta Ideho
This dissertation focuses on understanding the social material interaction between e-waste and e-scrappers for sustainable management of e-waste. Previous studies mainly concentrate on the detrimental environmental impact of e-scrappers activities, the economic and political influences of e-waste on the e-scrappers, the material flow of e-waste and the exportation of valuable e-waste extracts from highly industrialized countries to less industrialized countries. The aim of the dissertation is therefore to extend the scope of the previous studies by investigating the social material interaction between e-scrappers and e-waste. To achieve this aim, this study examines the following research questions: 1) How has e-waste gained recognition and remained relevant in both government and private spheres? 2) Through what material and social mechanisms has e-scrappers thrived despite the negative environmental perception of their activities? Environmental perception, as used in this dissertation, indicates the perceived impacts of the activities of e-scrappers on their environment. Qualitative data sets attained via ethnographic video method from 29 e-scrappers from two states in Nigeria are analyzed and used to meet the main objective of this dissertation. This dissertation consists of a summary and results presented in four separate articles. The results reveal that far from the notion that e-scrapping is carried out by illiterate, poor marginalized groups, e-scrappers in Nigeria possess a certain level of formal institutional education and professionalism that becomes evident during the e-scrapping process. Additionally, the informal learning and organization achieved via models such as the apprenticeship system provide social recognition among members of society and relevant government institutions. It therefore implies that Nigerian e-scrappers possess a level of intellectual engagement that could be recognized and actively utilized by local environmental agencies and other government institutions. The main policy implication of this dissertation is that in order to move forward sustainably in the management of e-waste in Nigeria, organized activities of e-scrappers ought to be seen as formal activities. As such, standardization of proper basic infrastructure that limits negative environmental pollution and promotes acquired recycling skills should be engrained in environmental policies and provided for the e-scrappers. ...
Artikkeli I: Omokaro, Ideho, B. 2017. The Issuefication and Assemblage of Things in E-waste Management: A Methodological Approach. Submitted for publication and under review at the Journal of Sociological Forum.
Artikkeli II: Omokaro Ideho, B. 2016. Building Capabilities among E-scrappers in Informal Electronic Waste Management: The case of the Nigerian Escrappers. Environmental Sociology Journal, 2325-1042. DOI: 10.1080/23251042.2016.1155791.
Artikkeli III: Omokaro I. B. & Taipale S. 2017. Into the World of E-Waste: Mobility among E-Scrappers in Nigeria. Journal of Applied Mobilities. DOI: 10.1080/23800127.2017.1329974.
Artikkeli IV: Omokaro, Ideho, B. 2017. Revisiting Informal Recyclers: Understanding the Organizational and Operational Paradigm of Nigerian E-scrappers. Submitted for publication and under review at Journal of Current Sociology.
e-scrappers e-waste Nigeria e-waste management informal recycling kierrätys jätteet jätehuolto sähkö- ja elektroniikkaromu elektroniikka verkostoituminen kolmas sektori maailmanlaajuiset ongelmat globaali hallinta ammattiyhdistysliike sosiaalinen asema
E-waste management : a case study of Lagos state, Nigeria ﻿
Ideho, Benedicta (2012)
End-of-life electronics, otherwise known as e-waste has steadily become a visible threat to the environment. With the electronic industry fast becoming the world’s largest manufacturing industry and also, arguably, the ...
UK local authority kerbside recycling and alternative recycling methods : awareness, usage and correlations ﻿
Evans, Ross (2021)
Following the implementation of the UK’s Waste Strategy 2000 and later the implementation of EU Directive 2008/98/EC, recycling rates have improved dramatically within the UK. The expansion of this sector has created ...