Mr Isah Adamu, an environmentalist, has called for stiffer penalty against any form of indiscriminate disposal of e-waste, especially electronic gadgets.

Isa, the Director of Education and Training in the Environmental Health Officers Registration Council of Nigeria (EHORECON), gave the advice in an interview with newsmen in Lagos.

He said that stiffer action and enforcement strategy should be put in place to control indiscriminate disposal of electronic gadgets.

He said many of the gadgets contain heavy metals such as calcium, mercury, adding that with time, these metals percolate into the soil, posing danger.

"Many of these elements find their way into water body and permeate into the ground water source and the effect can be grave when the water is used for ether cooking or drinking.

"Heavy metals are really hazardous as they can damage the kidney and are also cancerous," Adamu said and advised Nigerians to embrace proper waste disposal culture.

"All hands must be on deck by all relevant stakeholders to achieve this. It is now left for environmental health officers to monitor and punish defaulters appropriately," he said.

- NAN