Following on the success of last year, the producer responsibility organisation (PRO) ERA will be hosting its second nationwide campaign for E-waste Day, the local iteration of an international movement to combat the negative impact of electronic waste.
For the 2023 leg, people turned up in droves to recycle their e-waste, with 164,000kgs collected over one weekend; proving that South Africans are in fact, e-waste hoarders.
Image source: Leo Arslan from Pexels
Waste electronics are outpacing recycling efforts globally, with the rate of e-waste recycling in African countries at below 1%, according to the latest United Nations report. In an effort to drive this up, ERA has rolled out over 100 e-waste drop-off points across the country in collaboration with the likes of Makro and Pick n Pay. Their multi-pronged approach sees this non-profit company engaging stakeholders to address factors like policy and stimulating job opportunities throughout the value chain, amongst others. The “7 Days of Eco-activism” initiative will span across a week and features both a consumer awareness campaign, rewarding people for recycling with spot prizes like air fryers, and a number of industry events to engage and share knowledge for the sector, as well as an E-waste Awards ceremony. Inspiring industry cohesion This year, ERA’s efforts will not only engage the public in a follow-up educational showcase with incentivised spot prizes for recycling, but a series of industry events will facilitate collaboration and knowledge-sharing with key e-waste players.
“Off the back of last year’s successful E-waste Day initiative with Makro, we noticed there was a real need for industry stakeholders – from recyclers, policymakers, manufacturers – to collaborate more closely for greater impact,” says Ashley du Plooy, CEO of ERA.
The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations were brought into law in SA in 2021; an environmental policy aimed at producers’ responsibility for the post-consumer stage of their product’s life cycle. PROs like ERA serve as intermediaries between industry and the government to implement these regulations. ERA has a particular focus on Waste Electrical Electronic Equipment and Lighting (WEEEL) – which includes electronic waste, lighting and batteries.
Keeping e-waste out of landfills
In South Africa, e-waste is growing at three times the rate of solid municipal waste, with the country’s largest metros facing a looming landfill crisis. When it comes to recycling, South Africa faces challenges like a lack of education on the topic, insufficient infrastructure, as well as behavioural barriers. “The very idea of recycling electronic waste is not well-known to people, so we find these educational engagement campaigns to be crucial in growing awareness for making a true impact in the home. Our recent market insights show that South Africans do understand there is an intrinsic value to their items, but the result has been e-waste hoarding,” explains du Plooy. “We’re hoping to get e-waste out of people’s homes and into the proper systems for treatment, reuse, and recycling.” The National E-waste Day activation will take place over the weekend of 11-14 October and encourages the public to recycle their e-waste at ERA drop-off points, posting to social media for a chance to win spot prizes like air fryers. More information can be found on ERA’s social media platforms and the campaign microsite at www.eranpc.co.za/peopleplanetpurpose Find an e-waste drop-off location here.
