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Leonard Ncube
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THE Internet Society of Zimbabwe is pushing for the establishment of an electronic waste tax to be used in the creation of a recycling centre to help the country in climate change mitigation.

This comes as Africa is literally a dumping ground for materials that cause ozone layer depletion and climate change.

Africa does not produce electronic gadgets that affect the environment but is home to the world’s biggest electronic recycling centre in Ghana.

The Internet Society is an American non-profit advocacy organisation founded in 1992 with 32 active national chapters around the world.

Its mission is to promote the open development, evolution and use of the Internet for the benefit of all people throughout the world including Zimbabwe. It has helped in the establishment of community networks in remote areas thereby bridging the network divide.

Speaking after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Internet Society International and Smart Africa Alliance on the sidelines of the just-ended Transform Africa Summit in Victoria Falls, Internet Society of Zimbabwe president Mr Jasper Mangwana said there is a need to invest in recycling.

Internet Community story – Verengai Mabika (left) and the CEO of Smart Africa, Lacina Kone exchange memorandum of agreement

“There is still more that needs to happen and we are running a green research where we are saying there seems to be massive importation of electronic second-hand equipment and this means the West is transferring recycling costs to Africa where countries inherit the cost of disposal or face environment and health challenges,” he said.

Mr Mangwana said the Internet Society is lobbying for the introduction of the electronic waste tax just like the carbon tax so that whenever one imports electronic gadgets he or she is charged this tax.

Verengai Mabika

He said if successful, the tax will be used to create a recycling centre in the country.

The lack of sustainable recycling facilities for non-disposable waste has been a major challenge for Zimbabwe which has resulted in low waste removal from the environment and pollution of water bodies and underground water sources.

Senior policy advisor to Internet Society International Mr Verengai Mabika said the MoU with Smart Africa will enhance collaboration and capacity building while creating internet resilience among member states.-@ncubeleon