By Colin Williamson
E-waste is currently the fastest growing global waste stream. Five times more e-waste is produced than is formally recycled — and the problem is getting worse every year.
Between 2010 and 2022, the amount of e-waste generated per year almost doubled from 34 million tonnes to 62 million tonnes. Consider how many devices we’ve all used personally and professionally in this time, and these figures are unsurprising.
While Africa has some of the lowest rates of e-waste globally, it is also the lowest e-waste recycler at less than 1%. In 2022, South Africa’s reported e-waste was the second highest on the continent after Egypt.
As we mark International E-Waste Day and consider the ways in which we can build South Africa’s circular economy, it’s worth dismantling some myths about e-waste. What misconceptions are influencing our current thinking about this issue, and how can we reimagine these points as we strive to contribute to the global tech regeneration movement?
- Myth: Throwing e-waste away isn’t that bad.
Reality: Unfortunately, the consequences of mismanaging e-waste are likely worse than we imagine. E-waste is any discarded tech with a plug, battery or cord. Devices that end up in dumps and landfills can leach toxic materials, such as lead, mercury and cadmium, into soil and water supplies. Throwing them away is also a terrible waste of the precious minerals, including gold, silver and rare earth metals, that could otherwise be recycled to produce new devices at a lower carbon footprint.
Besides the direct environmental fallout, research also shows that waste and pollution, including e-waste, affects vulnerable populations the worst. Poorly managed e-waste therefore has a terrible knock-on effect on other socio-economic issues, such as poverty and healthcare — something South Africa can ill afford.
- Myth: It’s difficult and inconvenient to recycle tech ethically.
Reality: Recycling tech ethically does typically take a bit of effort, but once you know what systems are in place, it often gets easier. For personal tech, check if your municipal recycling programme disposes of e-waste or whether there is a local e-waste drop-off site nearby.
Often the best options environmentally and economically is to explore trade-in and buy-back programmes with accredited retailers. Old laptops, tablets, phones and monitors are usually particularly valuable, and trading them in can help you get a better deal on your next upgrade.
Businesses can also partner with reputable recommerce companies that serve as a one-stop-shop for e-waste, buying old tech and then refurbishing and reselling it through professional channels. Anything that can’t be reused is ethically recycled. This is often much more effective practically and financially than hanging onto decommissioned devices in storerooms or battling to dispose of them properly. As ESG regulations become more stringent, ethical tech management is also increasingly becoming a regulatory requirement.
- Myth: Refurbished tech is broken or risky.
Reality: Not at all. Refurbished tech comes with a warranty like any new device and goes through a full range of repairs and checks to ensure that it’s working as it should. Provided the refurbishment has been performed by a credible reseller or recommerce supplier, it should be 100% trustworthy — and considerably more affordable.
Aesthetically, refurbished tech is ranked through a grading system, which weighs up whether it has some signs of use, or whether it’s in such good shape that it could essentially be considered new.
- Myth: Extending the life of old tech is only an environmental issue.
Reality: Tech regeneration has massive social benefits, which should further fuel South Africa’s circular economy ambitions. By making refurbished tech more widely available at a fraction of the cost of new devices, we can help to close the digital divide in South Africa. This has the potential to have a massive ripple effect, helping underprivileged people to study, gain qualifications, secure work, and start and run their own businesses, and contributing to the future development of the country’s economy.
Of course, there is still room for improvement. The current National Environmental Waste Act (2008), for example, doesn’t include e-waste. And overall, more robust directives and monitoring is needed. That said, the Department of Environmental Affairs released a draft National Policy for the Management of Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment for public comment in June. And stronger extended producer responsibility legislation was enacted in 2021, requiring electronics producers and importers to register with the government and produce a plan for end-of-life management for their technology.
We all have a part to play in building South Africa’s circular economy and addressing e-waste is a mutually beneficial way to be part of this movement. Let International E-Waste Day be a powerful day for South Africa to envision a future where economic profitability and sustainability can go hand in hand.