TCRA out to curb imported e-waste

Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has embarked in a programme to curb dumping of electronic communications equipment in the country.

The regulator has noticed the increasing threat of dumping the equipment, the e-waste, thus coming May will start inspecting them before shipped to the country.

TCRA appointed Veritas Tanzania as it’s agency for providing inspection services of electronic communication equipment at the country of origin to verify that imported equipment are neither e-waste or expired.

TCRA acting Director General Mr John Daffa told reporters on Thursday that they have met with importers and notified them they would be inspecting their products before shipment.

“All electronic communication equipment imported in the country will be inspected at the country of origin, coming May.

“We, also, told then that the inspection will attract eco-levy fees,” Mr Daffa said without mentioning the fees amount.

The fees are for monitoring electronic equipment movement and inspections.

The equipment importers after May 23 will be required to make application and declaring the country of origin using online system.

“Once an application is filed, an assessment for advance eco-levy shall be made to allow other processes including inspections to take place,” Mr Daffa said.

The inspection is the implementation of the 2020 regulations on the Electronic and Postal Communications (Electronic Communication Equipment Standards and e-waste Management).

And, the move eyes to avert dangers associated by rampant disposal of e-wastes which are not only harmful to environment but also poisonous to human.

TCRA estimates that for the past 25 years, e-waste has increased by more than 10 per cent, signifying the need of having strong control measures before more harm affects more people.

The wastes are mostly coming from automated mobile phones which are rampantly disposed.

Currently, according to TRCA, there was 19,000 tonnes of e-waste in 2019 up from about 2,000 tonnes recorded in 1998.

The e-waste tonnage are said to continue raising due to increasing usage of mobile telephone, about 50 million registered, and other electronic device users in the country who most have little knowledge on how best to dispose them.