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Contact Address Correction
by Lizette Kraft 08 Nov '05

08 Nov '05

Kindly note correction on my new alternative email address: lfkraft(a)gmail.com Kindly use this address as the first alternative to the yahoo address: kind regards Lizette

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Fw: NYTimes: Poor Nations Are Littered With Old PC's
by alice＠apc.org 08 Nov '05

08 Nov '05

----- Original Message ----- From: "Leonard Mware" <mleonardo(a)yahoo.com> To: "KIPlist" <kiplist-cl(a)lyris.idrc.ca> Sent: Wednesday, November 02, 2005 1:44 PM Subject: NYTimes: Poor Nations Are Littered With Old PC's > Thought this could provoke some debate on used computers. > > apologies if you have already seen it. > leonard > > Poor Nations Are Littered With Old PC's, Report Says By LAURIE J. FLYNN > October 24, 2005 > http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/24/technology/24junk.html?th&emc=th > > Much of the used computer equipment sent from the United States to > developing countries for use in homes, schools and businesses is often > neither usable nor repairable, creating enormous environmental problems > in some of the world's poorest places, according to a report to be > issued today by an environmental organization. > > The report, titled "The Digital Dump: Exporting Reuse and Abuse to > Africa," says that the unusable equipment is being donated or sold to > developing nations by recycling businesses in the United States as a > way > to dodge the expense of having to recycle it properly. While the > report, > written by the Basel Action Network, based in Seattle, focuses on > Nigeria, in western Africa, it says the situation is similar throughout > much of the developing world. > > "Too often, justifications of 'building bridges over the digital > divide' > > are used as excuses to obscure and ignore the fact that these bridges > double as toxic waste pipelines," says the report. As a result, Nigeria > and other developing nations are carrying a disproportionate burden of > the world's toxic waste from technology products, according to Jim > Puckett, coordinator of the group. > > According to the National Safety Council, more than 63 million > computers > in the United States will become obsolete in 2005. An average computer > monitor can contain as much as eight pounds of lead, along with > plastics > laden with flame retardants and cadmium, all of which can be harmful to > the environment and to humans. > > In 2002, the Basel Action Network was co-author of a report that said > 50 > percent to 80 percent of electronics waste collected for recycling in > the United States was being disassembled and recycled under largely > unregulated, unhealthy conditions in China, India, Pakistan and other > developing countries. The new report contends that Americans may be > lulled into thinking their old computers are being put to good use. > > At the Nigerian port of Lagos, the new report says, an estimated 500 > containers of used electronic equipment enter the country each month, > each one carrying about 800 computers, for a total of about 400,000 > used > computers a month. The majority of the equipment arriving in Lagos, the > report says, is unusable and neither economically repairable or > resalable. "Nigerians are telling us they are getting as much as 75 > percent junk that is not repairable," Mr. Puckett said. He said that > Nigeria, like most developing countries, could only accommodate > functioning used equipment. > > The environmental group visited Lagos, where it found that despite > growing technology industries, the country lacked an infrastructure for > electronics recycling. This means that the imported equipment often > ends > up in landfills, where toxins in the equipment can pollute the > groundwater and create unhealthy conditions. > > Mr. Puckett said the group had identified 30 recyclers in the United > States who had agreed not to export electronic waste to developing > countries. "We are trying to get it to be common practice that you have > to test what you send and label it," he said. > > Mr. Puckett also said his group was trying to enforce the Basel > Convention, a United Nations treaty intended to limit the trade of > hazardous waste. The United States is the only developed country that > has not ratified the treaty. > > Much of the equipment being shipped to Africa and other developing > areas > is from recyclers in the United States, who typically get the used > equipment free from businesses, government agencies and communities and > ship it abroad for repair, sale or to be dismantled using low-cost > labor. > > Scrap Computers, a recycler in Phoenix, has eight warehouses across the > United States to store collected electronics before they are shipped to > foreign destinations, and Graham Wollaston, the company's president, > says he is opening new warehouses at the rate of one a month. Mr. > Wollaston, who describes his company as a "giant sorting operation," > said there was a reuse for virtually every component of old electronic > devices: old televisions are turned into fish tanks for Malaysia, and a > silicon glass shortage has created huge demand for old monitors, which > are turned into new ones. "There's no such thing as a third-world > landfill," Mr. Wollaston said. "If you were to put an old computer on > the street, it would be taken apart for the parts." > > Mr. Wollaston said the system was largely working, though he conceded > that some recyclers dump useless equipment in various developing > nations, most notably China. "One of the problems the industry faces is > a lack of certification as to where it's all going," he said. He says > his company tests all equipment destined for developing nations. > > The Environmental Protection Agency concedes that "inappropriate > practices" have occurred in the industry, but said it did not think the > problem should be addressed by stopping all exports. > > "E.P.A. has been working with the Organization for Economic Cooperation > and Development countries for the last several years on development of > a > program that would provide much greater assurance that exports of > recyclable materials will be environmentally sound," Tom Dunne, of the > agency's Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, wrote in an > e-mail message. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --------------------------------- > Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click. > > --- > Submitted by: Leonard M Oloo <mleonardo(a)yahoo.com> 2005-11-02 05:50:19 > EST5 > (Please reply to original submitter for private communication) > --- > You are currently subscribed to kiplist-cl as: [alice(a)apc.org] > To unsubscribe, forward this message to > leave-kiplist-cl-100946B(a)lyris.idrc.ca >

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GSM Consumer Protection MInutes+ Reminder KICTANET Meeting Tue 8th Nov 2005(Resend)
by John Walubengo 08 Nov '05

08 Nov '05

Sorry, I had forgotten to attach the Agenda+Attendance. ~~~ FInd attached. walu. nb. KICTANET Monthly meeting tomorrow 8th Nove 2005, 2:30 p.m -5:00p.m

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Re: [Kictanet] Poor Nations Are Littered With Old PC's: Lets be careful!
by Wainaina Mungai 07 Nov '05

07 Nov '05

I agree with Dorcas, that we need: 1. To develop a Made in Kenya computer & communications equipment industry: My position is that taxes on parts should be removed while taxes on finished IT products should remain slightly higher than the parts. This would nurture a computer assembly industry at the very minimum. Alternatively, PC assembly / manufacturers should be given a better tax deal (??tax holidays for promoting employment in ICT??). 2. To develop strict environmental guidelines/laws on imported communications equipment (including reconditioned mobile phones): This should include parts that will be used for PC assembly. since PCs are dumped here because it's cheap, our government can collect [the equivalent of upto 50% of the amount the "dumpers" are running away from] and still ensure that nothing harmful is dumped here. We would remain a more attractive destinations for the harmlessl devices yet the government would make some good money in the process. ;-) 3. To enforce our laws on local and imported e-waste: How we dispose our own IT waste is very critical. We are not doing too well on old diskettes, printer catridges and damaged mobile phones. As Dorcas stated, NEMA, Prof. Wangari Mathai and CCK should have their presence felt on this issue if we are to make progress. 4. To criticaly study and support the enforcement of the ICT related aspects of the Basel Convention - www.basel.int - at the national level: Note that the ICT policy (before Cabinet) has a provision for strict laws on. As the headquarters of UNEP -and as a nation which has officially announced its interest in joining the Security Council - Kenya should lead the way. 5. Alex, I am compelled to "throw an Orange" at your appeal ;-) I remain Proudly Kenyan, Wainaina Mungai http://www.madeinkenya.org SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. > -------Original Message------- > From: Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni(a)kenet.or.ke> > Subject: [Kictanet] Poor Nations Are Littered With Old PC's: Lets be careful! > Sent: 07 Nov '05 10:00 > > NB: Sorry for a very long posting > > Kindly lets do our homework. Lets be careful about what we support lest > we shoot ourselves in the foot. > * > Definitions: > * > Old Computers: Computers that have reached the end of their useful lives > in an organisation/ A computer that has reached the end of its useful > life to the owner. > Second-hand/ Refurbs : Old or used computer equipment that has been > restored to working condition. Restoration involves repalcement of > hardware components with similar or newer ones. > > *Facts:* > > Most of the environmental concerns with computers lie with the monitor > (27% of the weight of a CRT monitor is due to its lead content), > specifically its cathode ray tube (CRT). Each color monitor contains, on > average, four to five pounds of lead, considered hazardous waste when > disposed off. Computers also contain other hazardous materials, > including mercury, cadmium (a known carcinogen), and hexavalent chromium > (shown to cause high blood pressure, iron-poor blood, liver disease, and > nerve and brain damage in animals). > > In the US alone more than 315 million computers were expected to become > obsolete by the year 2004, containing an estimated 1.2 billion pounds of > lead, 2 million pounds of cadmium, 400,000 pounds of mercury and 1.2 > million pounds of hexavalent chromium. > > Imagine a worst-case scenario: Groundwater, (enough Kenyans draw > drinking water directly from rivers,) near a landfill becomes contaminated. > > If you can contact NEMA or our renowned Mother Nature (Prof. Wangari), > let them know these and start preparing a law. > > *Action:* > -- Technical and Product Development Manager Oneworld International 4th Floor, Kimathi House Nairobi. Kenya. Tel: +254-20-316800 Fax: +254-20-241920 ----- Free SMSNews4theDEAF: SMS the text DEAF ON to the number 560 and you will receive FREE SMS News on issues relevant to people who are deaf or have Hearing Impairment. To stop the messages, send DEAF OFF to the number 560.

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Re: [Kictanet] Poor Nations Are Littered With Old PC's: Lets be careful!
by Wainaina Mungai 07 Nov '05

07 Nov '05

I agree with Dorcas, that we need: 1. To develop a Made in Kenya computer & communications equipment industry: My position is that taxes on parts should be removed while taxes on finished IT products should remain slightly higher than the parts. This would nurture a computer assembly industry at the very minimum. Alternatively, PC assembly / manufacturers should be given a better tax deal (??tax holidays for promoting employment in ICT??). 2. To develop strict environmental guidelines/laws on imported communications equipment (including reconditioned mobile phones): This should include parts that will be used for PC assembly. since PCs are dumped here because it's cheap, our government can collect [the equivalent of upto 50% of the amount the "dumpers" are running away from] and still ensure that nothing harmful is dumped here. We would remain a more attractive destinations for the harmlessl devices yet the government would make some good money in the process. ;-) 3. To enforce our laws on local and imported e-waste: How we dispose our own IT waste is very critical. We are not doing too well on old diskettes, printer catridges and damaged mobile phones. As Dorcas stated, NEMA, Prof. Wangari Mathai and CCK should have their presence felt on this issue if we are to make progress. 4. To criticaly study and support the enforcement of the ICT related aspects of the Basel Convention - www.basel.int - at the national level: Note that the ICT policy (before Cabinet) has a provision for strict laws on. As the headquarters of UNEP -and as a nation which has officially announced its interest in joining the Security Council - Kenya should lead the way. 5. Alex, I am compelled to "throw an Orange" at your appeal ;-) I remain Proudly Kenyan, Wainaina Mungai http://www.madeinkenya.org SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. > -------Original Message------- > From: Dorcas Muthoni <dmuthoni(a)kenet.or.ke> > Subject: [Kictanet] Poor Nations Are Littered With Old PC's: Lets be careful! > Sent: 07 Nov '05 10:00 > > NB: Sorry for a very long posting > > Kindly lets do our homework. Lets be careful about what we support lest > we shoot ourselves in the foot. > * > Definitions: > * > Old Computers: Computers that have reached the end of their useful lives > in an organisation/ A computer that has reached the end of its useful > life to the owner. > Second-hand/ Refurbs : Old or used computer equipment that has been > restored to working condition. Restoration involves repalcement of > hardware components with similar or newer ones. > > *Facts:* > > Most of the environmental concerns with computers lie with the monitor > (27% of the weight of a CRT monitor is due to its lead content), > specifically its cathode ray tube (CRT). Each color monitor contains, on > average, four to five pounds of lead, considered hazardous waste when > disposed off. Computers also contain other hazardous materials, > including mercury, cadmium (a known carcinogen), and hexavalent chromium > (shown to cause high blood pressure, iron-poor blood, liver disease, and > nerve and brain damage in animals). > > In the US alone more than 315 million computers were expected to become > obsolete by the year 2004, containing an estimated 1.2 billion pounds of > lead, 2 million pounds of cadmium, 400,000 pounds of mercury and 1.2 > million pounds of hexavalent chromium. > > Imagine a worst-case scenario: Groundwater, (enough Kenyans draw > drinking water directly from rivers,) near a landfill becomes contaminated. > > If you can contact NEMA or our renowned Mother Nature (Prof. Wangari), > let them know these and start preparing a law. > > *Action:* >

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Away from home base
by alice＠apc.org 07 Nov '05

07 Nov '05

Dear all I will be away attending a CATIA meeting in Johannesburg from 6th to 11th November 2005. Wish you a good planning meeting and looking forward to getting feedback when I get back. warm regards alice A Wanjira-Munyua National Coordinator, Catalysing Access to ICTs in Africa (CATIA) Association for Progressive Communications (APC) alice(a)apc.org http://www.apc.org http://www.catia.ws

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GSM Consumer Protection MInutes+ Reminder KICTANET Meeting Tue 8th Nov 2005
by John Walubengo 07 Nov '05

07 Nov '05

FInd attached. walu. nb. KICTANET Monthly meeting tomorrow 8th Nove 2005, 2:30 p.m -5:00p.m

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RE: KICTANet Planning Meeting - Confirmed Tue, 8th Nov 2:30p.m-5:00p.m
by John Walubengo 03 Nov '05

03 Nov '05

With the additional agenda. Minutes of the GSM Consumer Forum shall be broadcasted on Mon 7th by midday. walu. >>> "Wainaina Mungai" <wainaina.mungai(a)oneworld.net> 11/01/05 12:12pm >>> Dear All, I second the change of date and suggest that we add one more item to the agenda. We have a request by Global NetCorps (GNC) - an initiative of Digital Opportunity Trust - to meet with especially members of the KICTANet civil society caucus on the same day. They are planning the launch of NetCorps in Kenya. We could have them present to us between 2:30pm and 3:30pm. If members could read through the GSM Consumer forum Report ciculated earlier, and come in by 2pm, we could comfortably include this extra item. Regards, Wainaina -----Original Message----- From: bounce-kiplist-cl-117112(a)lyris.idrc.ca [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of John Walubengo Sent: 31 October 2005 08:47 To: KIPlist Subject: [Fwd: [Kictanet] KICTANet Planning Meeting - Notice to Postpone I am reliably informed by one of my 'holiday-sniffing' colleague that this Friday 4th Nov 2005 is likely to be a (Muslim) holiday in Kenya. As such I am proposing we shift the Monthly KICTAnet meeting to the following week, Tue 8th Nov 2005, Jacaranda Hotel, 2:00-5:00p.m. Proposed Agenda 1. Confirmation and adoption of previous minutes 2. Matters Arising 3. KICTANet Activities & Receiving of Reports (Review of 1st ICT Consumer Protection Forum) 4. Planning for 2nd Consumer Protection Forum (ISP focus) 5. Date and Time for the next meeting 6. AOB walu. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet

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Looking for Clare Ruto (Celtel) e-address
by John Walubengo 03 Nov '05

03 Nov '05

any body with the above? I visited their website and picked the idea to try the various permutations (cruto(a)ke.celtel.com, clare.ruto(a)ke.celte.com, rutoc(a)ke.celtel.com) amongst others with little success... walu.

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Re: [Kictanet] Looking for Clare Ruto (Celtel) e-address
by John Walubengo 03 Nov '05

03 Nov '05

>>> Benjamin Makai <benmakai(a)yahoo.com> 11/03/05 10:28am >>> ruto.c(a)ke.celtel.com Walu, thats the address- gotten from the list of participants of MSA ICT conference Regards Makai John Walubengo <jwalubengo(a)kcct.ac.ke> wrote: any body with the above? I visited their website and picked the idea to try the various permutations (cruto(a)ke.celtel.com, clare.ruto(a)ke.celte.com, rutoc(a)ke.celtel.com) amongst others with little success... walu. _______________________________________________ kictanet mailing list kictanet(a)kictanet.or.ke http://kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet Benjamin Makai Tel: 254-722-540641 P.O. Box 8608, 00300, Nairobi, Kenya --------------------------------- Yahoo! FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.

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