Kenya has proposed new rules that would make electronics manufacturers, importers, and retailers financially and operationally responsible for the disposal of devices they put on the market.
- •The draft Electrical and Electronic Waste Management Regulations, 2025 released by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) outline a system where producers must take back or fund the treatment of end-of-life electronics in proportion to their market share.
- •Each company will be required to register with the authority, declare the quantities of electrical and electronic equipment it places on the market, and present proof that its waste has been properly treated by licensed recyclers.
- •Although the document does not specify a formal levy, the framework effectively introduces a financial obligation for producers who will have to contract and pay treatment facilities to recover, dismantle, or dispose of discarded products.
The cost of obtaining treatment certificates is expected to form part of doing business in the country's electronics sector, shifting waste-management expenses from the public to the private sector. Essentially, the more electronics a company sells, the larger the volume of e-waste it must manage.
The regulations extend to all categories of electronic goods from household appliances such as refrigerators and microwaves, lighting equipment, ICT equipment, batteries, toys and sporting equipment, and medical devices.
The draft regulations also require recyclers, refurbishers, and collection centres to be licensed and to submit quarterly and annual reports to NEMA detailing the amount of waste collected and processed.
Companies will be prohibited from selling, importing, or donating electrical or electronic equipment unless they are registered as producers and have approved treatment or take-back arrangements. Non-compliance will constitute an offence under the law.
The draft also bans open burning, dumping, and uncontrolled disposal of e-waste, and restricts exports of unrecyclable fractions except under regulated conditions. Refurbishment is prioritised over material recovery, reflecting a gradual move toward a circular-economy model in which repair and reuse come before recycling.
Why it Matters
Once enacted, the new rules will replace the unregulated patchwork that currently governs e-waste handling. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), electronic waste in the country surged to 53,559 metric tonnes in 2024.
This was driven largely by small household devices such as toasters and vacuum cleaners, which rose 5.6% to 19,737 tonnes and accounted for nearly 37% of total e-waste. Cooling and freezing equipment added over 11,000 tonnes, while televisions, laptops, and tablets contributed 5,715 tonnes.
The growing e-waste menace, compounded by the proliferation of counterfeit electronics, poses serious environmental and health risks, while the informal recycling sector remains ill-equipped to handle the rising volumes.
In September this year, nominated senator Peris Tobiko introduced the Electronic Equipment Disposal, Recycling and Reuse Bill, 2025, on the floor of the Senate.
The proposed law mandates that e-waste collectors and recyclers obtain licenses from county governments and the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, with violations of these provisions punishable by fines of up to KSh 50,000 or six months’ imprisonment.
The bill also creates a hierarchy of disposal facilities, from ward-level consolidation sites to a national recycling plant, and requires both national and county governments to oversee the collection, sorting, and recycling of electronic equipment.
