Green Economy Journal Issue 63

FROM
TO
BURDEN
BENEFIT
LET CIRCULAR ENERGY TAKE THE WEIGHT OFF YOUR
SHOULDERS AND ENSURE YOUR BUSINESS’ EPR COMPLIANCE
GIVE IT BACK
The onus is no longer on your customers to ensure that your products
are diverted from landfills. According to the Extended Producer
Responsibility regulations, the responsibility is yours. Green Economy
Journal speaks to the CEO of Circular Energy, Patricia Schröder.
CIRCULARITY
CEO, Circular Energy, Patricia Schröder.
WHAT DOES THE EXTENDED PRODUCER
RESPONSIBILITY (EPR) REGULATIONS SAY?
Promulgated in 2021 by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries &
Environment (DFFE), the EPR regulations hold you, the producer,
accountable for the entire life cycle of your products, from
conception to post-consumer waste disposal.
CIRCULAR
E N E R G Y
TAKE ACTION!
LET US HELP YOU
If your company imports or manufactures Electrical and
Electronic Equipment, Lighting, Paper and Packaging Products,
Batteries, or Lubricant Oil for sale in South Africa, it must comply
with the 2020 Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
Regulations.
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?
We will provide your company with a
comprehensive solution to manage your EPR
duties.
Simply report your product data to us, and we'll
take care of the rest, by reporting to the DFFE
and managing the recovery and recycling of
your post-consumer waste, among other
requirements. We've got you covered with our
nationwide take-back scheme that focuses on
electronic equipment, batteries, lighting and
lighting equipment, product packaging, as
well as lubricant oil
Don't let non-compliance put your business at risk of
financial and legal consequences. Join Circular Energy
and enjoy the peace of mind that comes with knowing
your EPR compliance is taken care of by the experts.
RESPONSIBLY REDUCING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE PRODUCT LIFECYCLE.
As a PRO, we are approved and registered with the Department of Fisheries, Forestry, and the Environment (DFFE) with the following registration numbers:
Electric and Electronic Equipment – 19/7/6/E/PRO/20211012/006 | Lighting and Lighting Equipment – 19/7/7/L/PRO/20220808/031 | Paper and Packaging – 19/7/5/P/PRO/20220808/032 |
Portable Batteries - 19/7/5/P/PRO/20230428/039 | Lubricant Oil – 19/7/7/L/PRO/20230816/048
Please provide an overview of Circular Energy NPC.
Circular Energy is a non-profit company (NPC) and a Producer
Responsibility Organisation (PRO) registered with the Department
of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment to operate compliance
schemes under Section 18(1) Extended Producer Responsibility
Regulations (2020) of the National Environmental Management:
Waste Act, 2008 (Act 59 of 2008) (NEMWA). Circular Energy is
registered to provide its services to the following sectors:
• Electric and electronic equipment [19/7/6/E/PRO/20211012/006]
• Lighting and lighting equipment [19/7/7/L/PRO/20220808/031]
• Paper and packaging [19/7/5/P/PRO/20220808/032]
• Portable batteries [19/7/5/P/PRO/20230428/039]
• Lubricant oil [19/7/7/L/PRO/20230816/048]
What does Circular Energy do?
Circular Energy assists its members in terms of their compliance
obligations for their identified products as specified in the
EPR regulations and sector notices. Among other compliance
requirements, Circular Energy manages a nationwide take-back
scheme for the collection, transportation, recovery and recycling
through environmentally sound management principles of its
members’ end-of-life products.
Consumer and corporate behaviour
needs a mind-shift change to be more
active in supporting recycling and
waste reduction initiatives.
Please discuss the importance of diverting e-waste via the correct
channels to the correct facilities.
eWaste is one of many waste streams covered by Circular Energy.
As a holistic viewpoint for all waste streams, diverting waste via the
correct channels to the correct facilities, has the following benefits:
• Diverting waste from overburdened landfills
• Recovery of resources for re-use in secondary markets whether
as products or recovered raw materials
• The hazardous and/or toxic properties of waste products are
managed in an environmentally sound manner at accredited
and licenced waste management facilities, as verified by
Circular Energy across South Africa
• All recovered and recycled products are monitored and
reported with track and trace methods
• The elimination of harm to the environment, communities
and natural ecosystems
• The creation of business opportunities and employment
• Innovation is enabled
• Contributing to skills development
What are the biggest challenges for the sectors in South Africa?
Bad practice in terms of waste management by companies or
individuals that only care about quick financial gains which
results in pollution, environmental degradation and health risks
to communities.
Consumer and corporate behaviour needs a mind-shift change
to be more active in supporting best practice recycling and waste
reduction initiatives.
What gives Circular Energy the edge?
Circular Energy has established a successful nationwide consumer/
household and business collection system for small electric and
electronic waste, household lighting and waste batteries at more
than 600 retail outlets that are collected for environmentally sound
processing and recycling.
The collection request capability on Circular Energy’s website
for businesses and consumers enables a convenient collection
system directly from households and businesses for smaller and
larger items such as fridges and washing machines etc.
This has resulted in the diversion of significant tonnages of electrical
or electronic waste, lighting and battery waste from landfills, and
ensuring best environmental practices for managing these waste
streams. The materials recovered from the recycling processes are used
in secondary markets, thereby supporting circular economy principles.
Additionally, Circular Energy’s corporate differentiators include:
• Operating an EPR system in compliance with rigorous
governance principles:
✓ Transparency
✓ Consensus orientated
✓ Equitable and inclusive
✓ Responsive
✓ Follow the rule of law
✓ Accountability
• Supplying and acquiring the necessary resources and knowledge
to manage every aspect of business performance.
• Respecting the privacy of data subjects under the Protection
of Personal Information Act and Promotion of Access to
Information Act.
• Setting ground rules for all that we do as an organisation
through ethical principles.
• Promoting and putting into practice the concepts of the circular
economy, carbon footprint reduction and minimisation of all
waste types.
• Promoting and supporting best practices for products and
service life cycles.
• Prioritising research, innovation and implementation of
waste. programmes through supporting technology. This is
to reduce the impacts of general and hazardous waste in the
sectors serviced by diversion from landfills.
• Implementing and enhancing systems to recognise, manage
and monitor health, safety and environmental risks throughout
the company’s value chain.
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