ACQUISITION AND EFFECTS OF DISPOSAL OF ICT WASTE TO THE ENVIRONMENT IN NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Scientists welcomed the invention of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the world as a critical propeller to scientific growth in building the economy of any Country. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acquisition and effect of the disposal of ICT waste to the Environment and explore appropriate methods for the disposal of ICT waste within learning institutions. The study adopted a descriptive survey design to examine the effect of the disposal of ICT waste to the environment on a sample population of 200 College students and 50 tutors randomly selected from ten learning institutions within Nairobi County, Kenya. The study sought to answer the following research questions; 1) how are ICT devices acquired in learning institutions? 2) How is ICT waste disposed of? 3) Does ICT waste have any effect on the environment? And 4) Do learning institutions in Nairobi County have ICT policy? Data from the findings were analyzed using descriptive statistics and presented in form frequencies, means, and percentages. The study significantly found out that the environment is polluted by 75.2% of ICT waste, which is disposed of just like any other biodegradable waste. Students in learning institutions have more than 700 connecting cables and 300 mobile phones as compared to the tutors who have 400 connecting cables and 100 mobile phones in the same respective colleges. There is a severe need to have an ICT policy in all learning institutions of which tutors and students agreed with 91% and 46%, respectively. The recommendation of the study is to use appropriate methods of ICT waste disposal like recycling to prevent its hazardous effect on our Environment.