3D Printers

Tanzania to Create Affordable E-Waste 3D Printers for Community FabLabs

The electronics industry is so fast paced, that consumer goods are practically obsolete by the time you buy them.  This, combined with multiple other factors,leads to the global production of 20-50 million tons of electronics waste every year. Tanzict, an information society and ICT sector development project in Tanzania, in conjunction with COSTECH, Tanzania’s Commission for Science and Technology, wants to utilize this waste by developing a 3D printer composed of e-waste parts that can be supplied to Fablab centers throughout the country.

Buni 3d Printer

To tackle the problem, a group of locals have formed a brainstorming group, called “Make Fellows”, which holds weekly meetings to develop the printer’s concepts and technology. Currently, Tanzania produces 9,500 tons of e-waste each year, which mainly goes to landfills. The project will utilize this plentiful, unused waste. Co-manager of Tanzict, Brian Paul, explains, “There [is] a lot of electronic waste around, why don’t we make use of them.”

Finland, which has been backing developing projects in Tanzania, has also agreed to join in as a financial partner for this project. Buni Hub, a division of COSTECH that provides meeting space for start-ups, is ready to form FabLab maker centers where the e-waste printers will be accessible to the community. With a surplus of materials for building the printers, and financial backing from Finland, the team will be able to keep production costs low enough to for the Fablabs to afford.

Tazmania 3d Printer

Tanzanian officials see this as a viable way to create economically sustainable jobs. Fablabs are a space where students can be inspired, and entrepreneurs can build the first prototype for their startup. Having these centers available may create boundless opportunities for people all over Tanzania.  What those opportunities may be and exactly how the project will turn out is yet to be determined, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated as the story progresses.

Buni 3d Printer