Monday marked International e-Waste Day and this day is aimed at raising awareness and highlighting the importance of responsible and sound management of electrical and electronic waste.
The theme for 2024 “Join the e-Waste Hunt – Retrieve, Recycle and Revive”, encourages the public to recycle their e-waste and declutter their homes, hunt down forgotten electronics and take out unused electronics that have gained new life to their nearest e-Waste collection points.
PICTURE: Electronic wasteAccording to the latest United Nations Global E-Waste
Monitor, in 2022, 62 billion kg of e-waste is generated globally. This e-waste
stream is growing five times faster than the formal recycling collection rates.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment
(DFFE) says it is tackling e-waste, amongst others, enforcing legislative and
regulatory measures to contribute to pollution reduction, resource conservation
and effective energy consumption.
‘’The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations
were brought into law in South Africa in 2021. The policy is aimed at improving
the producers' responsibility and accountability for the post-consumer stage of
their products’ life cycle. To implement these regulations, the E-Waste
Recycling Authority (ERA) serves as intermediary between industry and the
government, with a particular focus on Waste Electrical Electronic Equipment
and Lighting (WEEEL) - which includes electronic waste, lighting, and
batteries,’’ said Dion George, Minister of DFFE.
‘’The department is tackling e-waste through, amongst
others, legislative and regulatory measures to contribute to pollution
reduction, resource conservation, and energy savings and is currently
considering comments that were received from the public on the draft Waste
Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) National Management Policy. This policy aims to provide a robust,
integrative, harmonising and comprehensive policy framework that leads to the
safe and sustainable management of all WEEE in South Africa that is
evidence-based, transparent and inclusive, therefore responding to the needs of
all South Africans. The rationale of the draft WEEE National Management Policy
is to outline the intention of the Government of the Republic of South Africa
to address WEEE management in a way that yields triple-bottom-line benefits.
The triple-bottom-line aims to create new economic opportunities; offer decent
and safe working conditions; and ensure the protection of the environment and
people who depend on it,’’ he added.
South Africa is currently in the 3rd year of EPR
Regulations that cover lighting, electrical and electronic equipment waste. To
date almost 68 000 tons of e-waste has been diverted from landfill and recycled
through EPR schemes. The retailers are providing collection points across the
country enabling the recycling of e-waste.
Done by: Mitchum George
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