As South Africa continues to roll out compulsory Extended Producer Responsibility schemes in accordance with refined EPR regulations, the critical role of waste pickers cannot be overlooked or discarded.
 
This is according to Patricia Schröder, spokesperson for producer responsibility organisation (PRO) Circular Energy. "Waste pickers are key actors in the waste management ecosystem whose contribution should be fully supported by EPR processes," she says.
 
EPR is a global initiative adopted by many countries, including South Africa, that places the onus on producers to manage the lifecycle of nominated products past their disposal stage.
 
The aim is to encourage the recycling of waste and reduce the burden on landfills.
 
The importance of waste pickers
The greatest contribution of waste pickers is that their activities divert recyclable products away from landfills where they would otherwise be lost. Instead, these materials are directed toward processing for economical reuse.
 
As a result, the work of the waste picker assists in mitigating climate change and improving the environment for their community.
 
Their work also relieves municipalities of the burden of sorting and separating recyclables from waste internally, reducing their operating costs in the process.
 
In addition, because waste reduction is a growing concern, the profession is a fertile channel for job creation.
 
"Waste pickers provide an essential service with hidden benefits we cannot afford to ignore," says Schröder.
 
Protecting pickers
According to the International Alliance of Waste Pickers, more than 22 million people around the world earn a living as informal waste workers. Yet, the organisation’s review of global EPR policies and practices suggests that EPR more threatens than supports these participants.
 
"South Africa needs to ensure its waste pickers are protected through formal, transparent programmes that fully integrate their services and provide fair compensation and incentives," says Schröder.
 
Waste Picker Integration Guideline for South Africa, published by the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF), offers 10 integration principles. These are:

• Recognition, respect and redress of unequal relationships between pickers and beneficiaries of their services
• Valuing waste pickers expertise and needs
• Meaningful engagement through legitimate platforms
• Using waste pickers' existing informal system as the basis for new formal recycling programmes and contracts
• Increased diversion of recyclables from landfills through cost effective means
• Evidence-based programmes and policies
• Providing an enabling environment at national, provincial and local levels
• Improved income and working conditions
• Fair compensation for services and savings
• Improved community and stakeholder perception of waste pickers as equal and active participants in the waste management process

 
Recent amendments to the Regulation Regarding Extended Producer Responsibility also entrench the importance of waste pickers by providing a formal definition for the term and including their participation in the definition of "collection".
 
An inclusive EPR
The successful implementation of EPR in South Africa demands that all stakeholders should benefit from the process and share in its ambitions.
 
This means waste pickers must be recognised as integral members of the waste management community and that any risk to them associated with EPR should be addressed promptly.
 
"Their participation in the EPR scheme is a significant step towards building an inclusive, sustainable waste management system in South Africa," says Schröder.

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

After enduring more than 200 days of load shedding in 2022, South African businesses and households are increasingly turning to solar power to meet their everyday energy needs. But as solar power installations boom, it is important that consumers are made aware of the need to properly dispose of solar panels after use.
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In 2016, the International Renewable Energy Agency and International Agency Photovoltaic Power Systems predicted that South Africa could accumulate between 750 000 and one million tons of photovoltaic waste by 2050. However, the rapid uptake of solar power by an increasing number of households and businesses could push this number even higher.

Solar power equipment typically has a lifespan of between 20 and 30 years, under optimal operating conditions. While this may seem a long way off, it is important that consumers are made aware of the need to properly dispose of used solar panels.

Who is responsible for recycling solar panels?
Under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations, which came into effect in May 2021, solar panel producers must take responsibility to ensure that much of their products are returned (and recycled by an accredited and licenced facility) after being sold and used. Manufacturers, importers, and brand owners are held accountable for the entire life cycle of the products they place on the market, from conception to post-consumer waste disposal.

But Patricia Schröder, spokesperson for the producer responsibility organisation (PRO) Circular Energy, says consumers still have an important role to play. “If South Africa hopes to shift to make a meaningful and sustainable shift to renewable energy, we must involve everyone across the energy value chain. This includes consumers.”

Schröder says consumers can help to ensure that solar panels do not end up having a detrimental impact on the environment by enquiring about and taking part in the recycling programmes offered by producers instead of disposal of the panels themselves. Visit Circular Energy’s website to schedule a collection service for your electronic disposal needs. 

Can South Africa recycle solar panels?
South Africa does have the capacity to recycle solar panels. The glass and aluminium frame of a solar panel makes up more than 80% of its weight and both these materials can easily be recycled.

Although silicon only forms a small part of the panel, it is regarded as a hazardous material that cannot be disposed of in landfills. South African regulations stipulate that solar panels can only be recycled at licensed recycling facilities. “When these panels end up in landfills, it not only means that recyclable materials are going to waste. Some solar panel components can be very harmful, even penetrating the surrounding soil and water,” Schröder explains.

Schröder says South Africans using solar energy should be applauded for investing in green technology at a time combatting climate change has become critical. “However, consumers must also understand the possible negative impact that this same technology can have on the environment if it is not disposed of correctly,” she concludes.

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
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