The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) encourages the public to recycle their e-waste and take unused electronics to their nearest e-waste collection points.

International E-Waste Day, held on October 14, highlights the importance of responsible and sound management of electrical and electronic waste. The 2024 theme is “Join the e-Waste Hunt – Retrieve, Recycle and Revive”.

According to the latest UN's Global E-Waste Monitor, 62-billion kilogrammes of e-waste was generated globally in 2022. This e-waste stream is growing five times faster than the formal recycling collection rates.

The DFFE is tackling e-waste by, among others, enforcing legislative and regulatory measures to contribute to pollution reduction, resource conservation and effective energy consumption.

The department is strengthening enforcement action against electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) producers that are not complying, including free riders. Thus far, 37 Pre-Compliance Notices have been issued to EEE producers.

All producers of EEE are required to register with the DFFE to ensure that they are compliant.

Further, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations are aimed at improving the producers' responsibility and accountability for the post-consumer stage of their products’ life cycle, the department adds.

To implement these regulations, the E-Waste Recycling Authority (ERA) serves as intermediary between industry and the government with a particular focus on waste electrical, electronic equipment and lighting, which includes electronic waste, lighting and batteries.

To date, almost 68 000 t of e-waste has been diverted from landfill and recycled through EPR schemes. Retailers provide collection points across the country to enable the recycling of e-waste.

The DFFE is currently considering comments that were received from the public on the draft Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) National Management Policy.

This policy aims to provide a robust, integrated, harmonising and comprehensive policy framework that leads to the safe and sustainable management of all WEEE in South Africa. The policy is evidence-based, transparent and inclusive, and responds to the needs of South Africans, the department says.

"The draft WEEE National Management Policy aims to address WEEE management in a way that yields triple-bottom-line benefits. The triple bottom line aims to create new economic opportunities, offer decent and safe working conditions, and ensure the protection of the environment and people who depend on it."