By: Dan Smith - Head of Revenue Operations Altron Document Solutions

Global uncertainty is impacting businesses economically, environmentally and socially. As a result, global supply chains are under strain, budgets are tightening and organisations are having to do more with less. Yet, in this challenging landscape lies a powerful opportunity through the circular economy.  

The sustainability conversation is no longer about lofty ideals. It’s about survival, resilience, and relevance. There is more than enough policy, strategy, and information in place to guide businesses toward sustainable practices; the African Development Bank has established the Africa Circular Economy Facility (ACEF) to foster Africa’s transformation by adopting a circular economy; the African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA) based at the UN hosted COP23 by South Africa, Nigeria and Rwanda seeks to establish a collaboration of various initiatives; and the United Nations in its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals laid out three interconnected pillars - environmental, social responsibility and economic performance, to ensure that sustainability initiatives are financially viable and support economic growth without compromising environmental and social goals.

What's required now is the collective commitment from companies to support circular economy initiatives and get government departments to accept refurbished options when spending public money. 

E-waste is South Africa’s fastest-growing waste stream.

Globally, e-waste is growing rapidly; around 50 million tons are generated annually, and a significant amount of that waste is shipped to Africa and Asia for recycling. According to the EPR Waste Association of South Africa (eWASA), South Africans produce about 6.2kg of electronic waste per person per year. That's 360,000 tons, equivalent to 432 laptops per minute. Of that total, around 12% is formally recycled, and the vast majority goes straight to landfills, where it can leach harmful chemicals like lead, arsenic, mercury, flame retardants, and certain phthalates into the soil and groundwater, posing a significant risk to human and environmental health.

As global and local regulations tighten, businesses that fail to manage their resource consumption and waste effectively could face reputational damage, compliance penalties, and exclusion from supply chains focused on ESG procurement, posing both an environmental and a business risk. 

The circular economy in action

Altron Document Solutions believes that circular economy thinking is good, not only for the planet but also for business. Far from being a second-rate option, refurbished technology, such as refurbished equipment, is now a globally accepted standard. 

IBIS World reports that Europe's Consumer Electronics Repair market size has reached €3.1 billion as of 2024. Revenue volatility in this market is low, and revenue has grown at a CAGR of 7.2 % from 2019 to 2024.  This indicates confidence in the activity and acceptance of the proposition not only from an environmental perspective but also from a financial and social perspective. In fact, IDC, in their Refurbished Devices Multi Client Study (2024), reports that 74% of those surveyed already use or are planning to use refurbished printing devices in the next 2 years.  

The drivers make for interesting reading:

• Cost motivates only 56% of respondents;
• The desire for sustainability at 40% and policies for sustainability at 39% are strong indicators that considerations are wider than financial;
• Post-decision financial incentives, such as rebates or discounts, are driving consideration in 24% of respondents; and 
• 24% also listen to recommendations from peers and other influences.

An important fact to consider is that circular print solutions are only as good as the standards behind them. Businesses must ensure that refurbished devices meet manufacturer specifications, include relevant certifications, and integrate seamlessly into modern IT environments. Altron Document Solution has a complete multi-point checklist that helps us determine what work needs to be done to bring our returned Xerox equipment up to the standard that clients expect while ensuring the devices are fit-for-purpose. This ensures the quality of the customer experience is in line with what you’d expect from new equipment.

The proposition doesn’t just stop at the equipment.  Xerox CEO Steve Bandrowczak pointed out to clients at a business breakfast on 1st April 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa, that 65 %+ of service calls into the global contact centre were resolved remotely, negating the need for numerous car journeys and minimising pollution.  If a technician needs to be dispatched to service a device, they depart already knowing from data provided by AI-driven remote diagnostics what the issue is and can then carry the necessary parts with them, making a return to fix far less likely, again driving down the number of journeys.  If further support is needed, the technician can access an augmented reality session through tools that allow them to get support from experts as if they were in the room, reducing the potential for unnecessary repairs and the consumption of spare parts.  This approach contributes to the overall sustainability of a refurbished equipment experience and reduces risks to adoption. 

The opportunity is clear

As South Africa faces increasing pressure to deliver on ESG targets, manage resource scarcity, and enable inclusive growth, circular economy initiatives offer a practical, scalable path forward. As the ACEAstates, by 2030, global circular economy efforts could generate $4.5 trillion in economic benefits. That is a number that South African businesses cannot afford to ignore.   

Altron Document Solutions is geared to partner with organisations to help turn sustainability goals into operational reality - helping South African businesses rethink print, reduce waste, and reimagine value.

The technology is here. The expertise is here. Now all we need is the effort to embrace the circular economy.

Altron Document Solutions

Altron Document Solutions (ADS) is Africa's leading document management technology and services company and the largest Xerox distributor in the world. It is the authorised Xerox distributor in 26 sub-Saharan countries offering the complete range of Xerox document equipment, software solutions and services. ADS forms part of JSE-listed Allied Electronics Corporation (Altron).