The UN describes e-waste as any discarded products that “have a battery or plug, and contain hazardous and toxic materials that can endanger both human and environmental health”.
 
Yet according to Patricia Schröder, spokesperson for the producer responsibility organisation (PRO) Circular Energy, e-recycling is not a priority for South Africans -  despite the fact that about 95% of e-waste can actually be recycled, reclaimed, or treated and beneficiated.
 
“For instance, only 10 to 12% of waste electrical and electronic equipment and between 2.5% and 5% of waste lighting are recycled. This is extremely low,” she cautions. “Given that e-waste includes toxic substances, its effective material recovery and environmentally sound recycling are crucial - and our local service providers, including formal and informal recyclers, have a massive role to play to improve the situation.” 
 
The Problem: An e-Pollution Crisis
Schröder explains that e-waste that is not correctly managed, including that that is disposed of in landfills, can release harmful pollutants.
 
“These toxic materials, especially heavy metals like mercury and cadmium, can harm ecosystems, accumulate in food chains, and have immediate and very noticeable negative impacts on human health.”
 
Furthermore, Schröder says, by not recycling or reusing e-waste, new natural resources must be mined in order to produce electronics. This as opposed to recouping what is already available in the market.
 
The Solution: Sound Waste Management
Due to its toxic and hazardous components, electronic waste can no longer be disposed of in landfills as of 2021. Instead, it must be treated by an authorised company that recycles waste electrical and electronic equipment (widely known as WEEE or e-waste).

This should be done by following sound e-waste recycling principles -  the process of extracting valuable materials after shredding the e-waste into smaller fractions that could be reused in a new electronic appliance.
 
“The government is attempting to address environmental pollution by banning the disposal of WEEE and batteries - and these authorised facilities are equipped with the know-how and tools needed to securely dispose of e-waste and recover recyclable materials,” Schröder explains.
 
She goes on to caution service providers not to fall for the tricks of illegal, unlicensed dealers or businesses that buy the items at very cheap rates and claim to recycle them when the remainder is then actually illegally dumped with other waste.
 
The Added Benefit: Financial Gain
Schröder says service providers should not forget that effective e-waste management can also have financial advantages.
 
“Materials like gold, copper, glass, aluminum, lithium, plastic, and more can be recovered in this manner. One international study estimated that in 2016, the raw material value of e-waste was around 55 billion euros.  Additionally, by recycling these materials back into the supply chain for the creation of new products, the manufacturing of new electronics is becoming more environmentally friendly. This releases fewer hazardous materials into the environment, and is generally more sustainable.”
 
She adds that there is also a significant social and economic impact, with recycling and reuse accounting for thousands of jobs.
 
“Of course, e-waste is only a portion of that, but as it is also the waste stream with the fastest growth rate, it is likely to become much more significant as our reliance on digital devices increases.”
 
ENDS

MEDIA CONTACT: Rosa-Mari Le Roux, 060 995 6277, rosa-mari@thatpoint.co.za, www.atthatpoint.co.za 
 
For more information on Circular Energy please visit:
Website: https://www.circular-energy.org/  
LinkedIn: Circular Energy

Regulations are not enough to help South Africa move to a circular economy. Without the support of an innovative and well-developed recycling and waste management sector, the country’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations can inadvertently enable greenwashing and inhibit real environmental impact.
 
South Africa joined international efforts to reduce pollution and environmental degradation through the introduction of The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations in May 2021. These regulations hold producers – which include manufacturers, importers, and brand owners –responsible for the complete lifecycle of the products they sell. This obligates producers to take responsibility for where their products and packaging ultimately end up at end of life by requiring them to join a producer responsibility organisation (PRO) that facilitates this process.
 
The dangers of greenwashing in EPR
But Patricia Schröder, spokesperson for the producer responsibility organisation (PRO) Circular Energy, says ensuring that producers are compliant with regulations is not enough to establish an effective EPR system in the country. “The circular economy needs both producers who are committed to meeting regulations and a system of service providers with the necessary skills and resources to carry out the work on the ground. If all aspects of the system are not in place, EPR can end up facilitating greenwashing by enabling companies to meet regulatory requirements on paper only.”
 
Greenwashing involves a company enhancing – or fabricating – the environmental impact of its services and products or creating the false impression that it is taking effective steps to curb the environmental impact of its business activities. Schröder says service providers are critical to ensuring that the commitments made by producers can be fulfilled in practice.
 
“Service providers are needed to ensure that waste is collected and then recycled as it should be and that we develop and expand the country’s recycling and waste management capacity. For example, the intention to recycle is void if consumers return used products only for most of the material they contain to ultimately end up in a landfill because the technology or capacity to recycle it is not available,” she says.
 
The importance of collaboration for growth
In the recently gazetted Household Hazardous Waste Management Strategy, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) again highlighted the opportunities for and the importance of collaboration between stakeholders throughout the product and waste management value chain, including public entities and private service providers.
 
The draft strategy recognises that public-private partnerships can help to improve efficiency in waste collection systems, attract technical expertise and increase capital investment in waste management systems. It also recognises the important role that the informal waste sector continues to play in the country’s existing waste management systems. Schröder says EPR regulations can impact and benefit many waste management and recycling service providers – including those in the informal sector like waste pickers.

She says service providers should also play an active part in developing the EPR system as it has the potential to become a great catalyst for growth in their sector. “This contributes to the best possible outcome for the environment, while also creating valuable economic opportunities and social impact. It will not only help to stimulate an increase in the overall recycling capacity of the country but can also help to inspire innovation in manufacturing and recycling.” 
 
ENDS
 
MEDIA CONTACT: Rosa-Mari Le Roux, rosa-mari@thatpoint.co.za, www.atthatpoint.co.za  
 
For more information on Circular Energy please visit:
Website: https://www.circular-energy.org/  
LinkedIn: Circular Energ