E-WASTE ASSESSMENT IN SOUTH AFRICA - e-Waste. This guide

8.1.1 E-waste Working GroupA coordinating body should be instituted to address the interests of the ICT Industry in South Africa.This has been the guiding principle in the establishment of contacts with prominent players in the ICTIndustry in South Africa. A product champion is needed in each centre where the project will beimplemented. The major focus is to eliminate waste whilst simultaneously creating employmentopportunities at all levels.It is thus proposed to start a small working committee that will oversee the establishment of an e-wasteworking group. The ICT industry was selected because computers' lifecycles are relatively easy to track.Such an organisation would help to create awareness and encourage the importers, local assemblers,wholesalers, retailers, large user groups, NGOs and interested members of the public, genericallyreferred to as Interested & Affected Parties (I&APs), to participate in the deliberations of the E-wasteWorking Group. To engage these I&APs successfully a central point of focus is required. The workinggroup will encourage the establishment of a system, perhaps not unlike SWICO, where old electronicgoods are recovered, refurbished for re-use or, if irreparable or obsolete, are recycled.A sophisticated and successful e-waste recycling industry already exists in South Africa but that shouldbe the end of the line for e-waste, not the only solution. The National Waste Management Strategy hasa hierarchy of options of which recycling is a low order solution only slightly better that landfill.Nevertheless, e-waste recyclers should play an important role in the E-waste Working Group.8.1.2 Employment opportunities through waste recoveryThe recovery of old machines from storage can create employment opportunities through theestablishment of buy-back centres. These centres should not operate solely on a “buy back” premisebut should also be available to the communities they service as “take back “ centres, where extendedproduct responsibility is applied by manufacturers. Brand manufacturers could be responsible forfinancing the buy-back centre by paying the operator for the branded equipment recovered. Likewise,e-waste recyclers have indicated that they are quite satisfied with the idea of having to pay for e-waste.The sustainability of the system could be ensured by:▪ Collecting a variety of electronic goods, which could enable the centre to open a used electronicsgoods and parts supply business.▪ Recycling printer cartridges, another source of income. Manufacturers recycle these and anarrangement involving collection and sorting at the centre would be easily negotiated. Similarprojects have already been initiated by some manufacturers.▪ Stripping and sorting computer components prior to recycling, to provide employment and createprofitable business.8.1.3 Refurbishment and the use of OpenSource SoftwareThe most effective strategy to minimise e-waste is the extension of product lifespans. The computerindustry is rife with the “upgrade” philosophy, where the “entry level” for a standard user grows beyondwhat was considered “super computer” in the previous year, yet in most cases the user is stillperforming the same tasks.33/41