Technical and Economic Assessments on WEEE Management in São Tomé and Príncipe

Details

Supervisors

Denis, Sabine

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur de gestion, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

enCurrently, São Tomé and Príncipe has been facing a serious problem related to the growing generation of WEEE in the country that is threatening not only the environment but also the health of its population, which demands an urgent response. In the scope of Output 3.1 of the ISLANDS Atlantic Project, the present Master’s Thesis aims to propose a WEEE management system to ensure proper collection, storage, and treatment of this type of waste. The methodology used to propose this WEEE management system encompasses five steps. First, the current WEEE scenario in São Tomé and Príncipe was analyzed, followed by a Material Flow Analysis, which aimed to find the biggest exporters of EEE to the country that are also responsible for its current state, as well as to estimate the quantity of WEEE to be generated in the upcoming years. Thirdly, the best practices were collected not only from literature but also from interviews with key entities in the WEEE sector. All this information was used in the development of the possible scenarios to be implemented in each phase of the proposed WEEE management system. From the possible scenarios, four were selected based on feedback from the country for an economic assessment. From the assessment, it was shown that all scenarios present a negative Net Present Value (NPV), however, the need for a WEEE management system in the country encouraged the recommendation of the scenario whose NPV was the least negative: WEEE collection using collection bins and a door-to-door collection practice, storage in 20ft containers while waiting its exportation to Portugal, where WEEE will be subject to proper treatment. From the work developed in this thesis, a proposal for a WEEE management system in São Tomé and Príncipe is delivered, which will improve the social and environmental conditions in the country. This study will also contribute to narrowing the gap in the literature on WEEE management systems in developing countries, particularly in SIDS (Small Islands Developing States).