Analysis of the Knowledge of E-Waste Generation and Management Strategies in the Urban West Region, Zanzibar

The rise in electronic waste (e-waste) generation in Zanzibar has become a serious issue because of the increasing use of electronic devices in recent years. Approximately 2,300 tones of e- waste are produced each year in Zanzibar, highlighting the urgent need for effective management strategies to address the issue. This research focuses on analyzing the level of knowledge regarding e-waste generation and management strategies in the urban west region of Zanzibar. A case study research design was employed enabling the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data from traders and consumers in selected areas. This study was carried out in Zanzibar, specifically in locations with strong presence of electronic related business to ensure diverse representation. Participants in the study included electronics technicians, consumers’ environmental experts, traders and urban municipal officers. A stratified random sampling was used to select a set of number of respondents from each group. Data were gathered through field observations, interviews with key informant and questionnaire. These findings reveal a sharp increase in e-waste production in Zanzibar. However, the awareness among consumers on proper disposal methods is low. Most participants were unfamiliar with safe disposal practices, and currently, there are no effective strategies in place for handling the e-waste. This highlights the critical need for structured management practices due to the harmful environmental impacts of improper disposal. The e-waste from the urban and other nearby areas is often burned along with other wastes in the main damp located at Kibele area in the region of Southern – Unguja, in Zanzibar, which poses serious health and environmental threats. This study concludes by emphasizing the urgent need to implement preventive strategies to protect consumers, traders, electronics technicians in Zanzibar from the health risks associated with unsafe e-waste handling.