Electronic Waste Association of South Africa
PO Box 2794
Rivonia
2128
Gauteng
South Africa
Tel: 011 237 7182
Fax: 011 237 7002
Email: info@e-waste.org.za
Website: www.e-waste.org.za
Contact: Mr Wayne Vermij
The Electronic Waste Association of South Africa has been formed to look at the sustainable management of e-waste.
Three initiatives were launched in October 2005 sharing the same key objective ? an environmentally responsible waste electronics and electric equipment (WEEE) management in South Africa based on an industry financed and end-consumer friendly take back system for these goods.
The South African/Swiss EMPA ?Knowledge Partnerships in e-Waste Recycling? programme
The Swiss EMPA Knowledge Partnership in e-waste Project is jointly run through Swiss programme manager, Rolf Widmer and project manager Mathias Schluep, in partnership with the National e- Waste Group coordinator Ray Lombard, together with the local e-Waste program coordinators in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. For the next 3.5 years the Swiss EMPA will assist South Africa (as well as China and India) in the development of an EPR (extended producer responsibility) based National e-waste management system. It is envisaged that the future South African model will closely follow certain parts and principles of the Swiss model (hence the term ?knowledge partnerships?). The Swiss system has successfully operated for some 12 years.
The Cape Town Green e-Waste Channel Whilst being coordinated through the National e-Waste Group, and receiving practical advice and support from the Swiss knowledge partnership program, Cape Town's Green e-Waste Channel focuses on creating business links between existing local recyclers in order to minimize landfilling and maximise job opportunities. The result is a scenario where private households and corporate consumers can dispose of e-waste safely in ?Green e-Waste Channels? where the provision of environmentally safe and healthy jobs for the informal sector is stimulated.
Recycling IT Recycling IT is an important component of the Cape initiative and operates according to the principle that ?Disposal of equipment, components and materials through a destructive process should only be adopted as a last resort, once all possible value-adding and creative alternatives have been exhausted?. It is driven by the vision of reducing the level of hazardous electronic material entering the waste stream through the recovery and re-use of unique components or materials that have value in creative community development projects.
