The e-waste sector impacts positively economically on the nearby communities and e-waste still proves to be a favorable alternative source of income. The number of jobs provided by the e-waste sector both formal and informal is substantial considering the level of unemployment. The availability of a market such as national consumption as well as export to neighboring countries for the refurbished electronic devices and the extracted materials from informal recycling ensures that this trade will continue [8] [9].

Besides the obvious resources employed in the manufacturing process of electronic devices, improper and indiscriminate disposing and recycling of e-waste has some serious health, environmental and legal implications [8].

The most affected communities are those in the environ of the Alaba International market, Ikeja Computer Village, Odo iya Alaro and Olushosun dump sites with area of influence of pollution spreading to the Ojota, Ikeja and Alaba axis. On the one hand, unusable e–waste is carelessly dumped around these communities and occasionally burnt to reduce growing piles or to the recovery of copper. The burning activities release highly toxic fumes and the dismantling and breaking operations contaminate with heavy metals the soil and nearby water bodies used for domestic purposes and farmlands. On the other hand, the high concentration of electronic waste in a location could generate “accumulated radiation”. Consequently, the sector poses serious health and environmental risk for both the workers and the immediate and neighbouring communities. These toxic metals could lead to health problems such as blood poisoning, breakdown of central nervous system, rising cases of cancer, kidney problems as well as vital organ failures, especially in children. The pickers are often unaware of the dangers they face but are economically tied to continuing the occupation [9] [1] [2]. 

The Olusosun is the biggest of the existing three landfills in Lagos State, covering 41.7 hectares and receiving 40 per cent of the wastes being generated in the state. The Olusosun site receives 11,000 metric tonnes of wastes, delivered by 300 trucks everyday. The site had received 40 million metric tonnes since November, 1992 when it was established [4]. Working registered population at the dump sites at Olusosun, Odo iya alaro, Alaba rago is between 600- 4000 [9]. Obsolete computers are literally regarded as a ‘gold mine’: a metric ton of electronic scrap from used computers contains more gold than can be extracted from a 17 ton gold ore [8]. Medium/high quality gadgets taken for repair/refurbishing are then sold in the huge Ikeja Computer village. This huge market has a size of about 1.1 km, is no longer completely residential but occupies well over 3,000 businesses in new computers, mobile phones, printers and communication equipment. The market serves as an outlet for Lagos and Nigeria as well as the neighboring West African countries. As the market is unplanned, it has experienced growing pains. Some local residents are upset at the expanding market. Traffic around the area has become very congested, and it can be almost impossible to find a place to park. The electrical infrastructure, already overloaded and unreliable, has become highly stressed with the new market. Computer and electronics stores require power to work on computers and demonstrate their products to potential customers, and this added load has made the supply erratic [5].