470
views
0
recommends
+1 Recommend
0
shares
    • Review: found
    Is Open Access

    Review of 'Ticking Time Bomb: Implications of the Covid-19 Lockdown on E-Waste Management in Developing Countries'

    Bookmark
    4
    Ticking Time Bomb: Implications of the Covid-19 Lockdown on E-Waste Management in Developing CountriesCrossref
    Good article with a high level of significance with respect to the research
    Average rating:
        Rated 4.5 of 5.
    Level of importance:
        Rated 5 of 5.
    Level of validity:
        Rated 4 of 5.
    Level of completeness:
        Rated 4 of 5.
    Level of comprehensibility:
        Rated 4 of 5.
    Competing interests:
    None

    Reviewed article

    • Record: found
    • Abstract: found
    • Article: found
    Is Open Access

    Ticking Time Bomb: Implications of the Covid-19 Lockdown on E-Waste Management in Developing Countries

    The coronavirus pandemic has altered the course of events globally since the outbreak of the corona virus disease (COVID-19) late 2019 further giving credence to the long standing beliefthat the world is indeed a global village. There have been different responses by countries to the raging pandemic including imposition of lockdowns, quarantine and isolation. The imposition of the lockdown whether full or partial, has not been without major consequences leading to resort to information, communication and technological (ICT) based measures to minimize the effect of the lockdown and as an alternative to physical interactions. The use of ICT devices to bridge the gaps created by the lockdown on schools, business offices and other sectors, has led to increased use of electronic devices. The challenge of electronic waste (e-waste) management in developing countries has been on for a while and the increased use of electronic devices is likely to compound the challenge during, and post COVID-19. Whilst the development of ICT based options as viable alternative to face-to-face interactions may not be a negative development, the paper argues that the existing frameworks are inadequate to manage the resultant increase in e-waste in most developing countries and that there is need more than ever before for developing countries to exercise caution in embracing these ICT based options without putting in place measures to ensure that there is increased capacity to manage and dispose the e-waste created thereby.
      Bookmark

      Review information

      10.14293/S2199-1006.1.SOR-EARTH.AGD1X3.v1.RNOIEL
      This work has been published open access under Creative Commons Attribution License CC BY 4.0, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Conditions, terms of use and publishing policy can be found at www.scienceopen.com.

      Pollution and health,waste management,developing countries,e-waste,coronavirus,Environmental policy and practice,pollution,COVID-19 lockdown,Environmental protection

      Review text

      The article describes about inadequacy of existing frameworks to manage e-waste in developing countries. However, no discussion has been included on why these frameworks are inadequate to address the management of e-waste. What are the challenges for the implementation of existing frameworks? This should be discussed in detail using examples for at least some countries. For example, challenges in Nigeria to implement e-waste management by NESREA.

      Also, the article do not discuss about what type of other frameworks or different structures of frameworks should be developed for e-waste management in developing countries. Once the authors identify the challenges in the current frameworks (as mentioned in the above point), the authors could discuss about need of other frameworks in detail in a separate section (Research Implications). 

      I would recommend adding a summary table of the existing frameworks for e-waste management, which countr(ies) they have been implemented, results and/or shortcomings, and challenges, to summarize section 5. 

      Comments

      Thank you for the detailed review.

      The comments are very well received. 

      We will commence work on the suggestions and will upload a revised version soon.

      2021-03-08 19:12 UTC
      +1

      Comment on this review