Abstract:
Electronic waste (e-waste) is becoming one of the leading global concerns in
the information age. This article establishes e-waste as an informational ethical
issue impacting the environment as well as the health and well-being of citizens.
Furthermore it elaborates on the consequences of the e-waste problem
nationally and globally. The current solutions to the e-waste problem as
implemented in other countries are considered with specific reference to the
feasibility of such solutions in South Africa with mind to the suitability of such
solutions in the rest of the African continent. The authors gained insight into the
awareness about the e-waste issue as well as the willingness and ability of
future information professionals to contribute to the recycling of e-waste in the
long term, through the implementation of a survey to undergraduate students
within the School of Information Technology. The School of IT (SIT) at the
University of Pretoria is a unique institution for tertiary education in the field of
information technology and a big contributor to future leaders in the IT
industry. Through the incorporation of primary and secondary research the
authors hope to contribute to the field of information ethical research on ewaste
as well as to present viable and effective methods to combat the problem
of e-waste in the third world through collaboration with manufacturers and
end-users.
