Quantifying used electrical and electronic equipment exported from ireland to west africa in roll-on roll-off vehicles

The investigation on the transboundary shipment of used and waste electrical and electronic equipment from developed countries is a well-studied subject with regard to the environmental and health impacts in the destination countries when it reaches end-of-life. Prior research has ranked Ireland the 8th highest source of used electrical and electronic equipment (UEEE) into Nigeria, with roll-on roll-off (RoRo) vehicles as the largest carrier (Odeyingbo 2017). This study presents the first comprehensive port of origin estimation of UEEE export shipments from Ireland in RoRo vehicles. This was obtained by using a ‘person in the port’ involving vehicle and enforcement document inspections at the Ringaskiddy port in Cork, Ireland. By scaling sampling data to annual shipment figures, it was estimated that 17,319 kg of UEEE are currently exported from Ireland annually and that around 1 in 5 vehicles exported contain UEEE. Additionally, the type of UEEE and frequency of shipments show certain equipment are high in demand at destination country. By using the Nigerian second-hand websites, the annual shipments were valued at approximately €147,225. The results obtained from this study suggests a significant reduction in UEEE exported from previous studies and highlights an opportunity for further research in additional ports of origin, as well as the examination of the shipping process, cost, and verification of functionality. Additionally, the straightforward methods provide better understandings of UEEE flows as this is significant to all stakeholders concerned with the regulation, enforcement, and safety of UEEE shipment.