Kenya Project Report WP2-final
The economic development of Kenya will undoubtedly lead to an increase in the ‘consumption’ of electric and electronic equipment (EEE) (among which fall the large household appliances LHHA) and consequently also to a rise in WEEE, waste from EEE. But the absolute level of LHHAs in society and therefore also the absolute level of discarded or otherwise end-of-life LHHAs is still rather low. The high value that LHHAs represent for consumers has resulted in an active repair sector and (partly) connected informal sector, that fulfills an appreciated function in dealing with goods and materials that are beyond repair. Without being actively aware, households, distributors and (almost by definition) repairers already demonstrate circular behavior. Households stick to their equipment, invest in repair activities and either give away or sell equipment that is no longer in need. Distributors play an active role in refurbishing equipment that can be re-sold to the public. It are precisely these activities in combination with the economic circumstances in Kenya that lead to a rather ‘circular’ behavior of societal stakeholders. One of the challenges will be to maintain such behavior once economic conditions improve.
