One of the problems that developing countries face is dealing with rubbish. Although typical households in developing countries consume less than typical households in developed countries, and therefore produce less garbage, developing countries often have less sophisticated processes for handling waste, so that waste accumulates instead of being recycled or otherwise processed in a sustainable manner.
Moreover, second-hand goods and cheap counterfeit goods often find their ways into markets in developing countries. When these goods are electronic goods such as computers and telephones, they can create significant waste disposal problems. Recently the Communication Commission of Kenya has required mobile phone operators to cut services to counterfeit mobile phones, leaving the National Environment Management Authority with the problem of disposing of 3 million counterfeit mobile phones.
When Kenya switches to digital broadcasting, there will be large quantities of superseded analogue television sets needing to be disposed of. The country currently generates more than 3,000 tonnes of electronic waste products, and this quantity continues to grow. Hazardous substances contained in electronic waste products often include mercury, sulphur, cadmium, lead, and beryllium oxide.