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Progress in the management of the e-waste stream in South Africa

Ryoichi Yamamoto – International Research Centre for Sustainable Materials and Industrial Science, University of Tokyo makes many startling statements related to the wonder of life and human beings, the mystique of space, the miracle of Planet Earth, environmental change at the global level, modern civilisation, mass production and mass consumption, the economy, society and the new challenge of a sustainable future...... all related to events taking place in one second....... some examples

N 4 tons of documents produced globally

N 71 g of gold mined with 130 tons of discarded spoil

N 4.2 TV sets produced

N 3 people become new users of the internet

The Global Mail 20 September 2004 reported as follow:

The UK's new rubbish dump: China

“More than a third of the waste paper and plastic collected by British local authorities, supermarkets and businesses for recycling is being sent 12 800km to China without any knowledge of the environmental or social costs -- and to the complete surprise of most consumers.

China is buying up everything it can. It is sucking in material from all over the world and it doesn't give two noodles what it takes,” said one plastics recycler who asked not to be identified.

I know of 300 firms, mostly in China, offering to buy my plastics. I have three or four companies cold-calling me every day from China requesting material. They have very cheap labour to sort the material but the shame is that it is being done there and not here.

They don't care about the quality, or the contamination. No one checks what is sent or what arrives.”

Where do PCs go to die? Tamsin Mackay and Jo- Anne Roodt ask in the Mail & Guardian

PERCEPTIONS!

“In the United States more than 500 million computers will become obsolete between 2000 and 2007 and between Germany and China close to 18 million tons of e-waste is generated annually.

South Africa is no different and yet we have no recycling laws to govern this growing waste stream and so the question that Tamsin Mackay and Jo-Anne Roodt set out to answer is this…

If you consider that the average life span of a computer is now only two years as opposed to five years back in 1997 this is a terrifying statistic.

Especially for us South Africans living in a country that hasn’t even established recycling rules for the trash we throw out every week.

The statistics on e-waste in South Africa are few and far between but industry players estimate that more than 500 hundred thousand PCs hit the dumping grounds each year.”

The Project sought to answer these questions

Starting position

Is e-waste a problem in industrializing countries?

Is it a problem in RSA?

What kind of improvements are possible under the existing circumstances?

Assessment - Does the South African framework for e-waste handling (legal, infrastructure, etc.) facilitate economically feasible

improvements?

How does the system work and what kind of processes is involved?

Quantities?

How many jobs involved?

What‘s the value added?

What are the risks?

Are solutions based on the SWICO/S.EN.S recycling system used in

Switzerland feasible, i.e.

Advance Recycling Fees

Industry controls and regulates itself through audits conducted by EMPA Switzerland exports recycled materials

Results

N In certain areas of RSA a business driven, non-governmental ewaste recycling solution for selected fractions has been established; it is based on the industrial sector (gold mining industry)

N Only a fraction of the retired electronic goods find their way to the recyclers (10% of >50,000 on/annum); most of it is stocked in households or offices

N RSA lacks an efficient take back scheme for consumers

N The Swiss SWICO / S.EN.S solutions (or the EU-WEEE Directive)seems not to be applicable as such; selected and adjusted parts of it might fit quite well

Approach to the Mission

Method

Define e-waste

Yellow Pages & Internet search

Interviews & site visits to selected stakeholders premises

Tools

Forecasts of New Equipment Sales data supplied by Axiz Insight

Information from SARS Customs & Excise

Information from the Recycling Community

Limitations

Forecasts

SARS Customs & Excise Codes changed c 2000 – a BIG snag

WEEE Categories under the Swiss Recycling Schemes

“SWICO” Electronic Waste is:

■ Computer monitor displays

■ Computers

■ Peripheral devices for computers

■ Printers, photo copiers

■ Office equipment: telephones, answering machines, etc.

■ Telecom equipment

■ Entertainment equipment: hi-fi sets, ghetto blasters, etc.

■ Mobile phones, PDA’s

■ Computer games

■ E-waste from the industry: defective PWB’s from production/installation etc.

■ Cables

“S.EN.S” Electric Waste is:

■ Small household appliances

■ Washing machines, dryers, dishwashers

■ Ovens, stoves, electric heaters

■ Refrigerators, climate systems

Other Electronic/Electric Waste is:

■ * Tools, gardening & hobby, recreational

■ * Light equipment

■ * FL tubes and similar

■ Electric installations from household and industry (non-stationary)

■ Batteries and rechargeable batteries (handled by INOBAT Recycling Scheme)

* As of 1.1.2005 these will be handled by S.EN.S, SWICO or another system

What is coming into South Africa?

It's all imported........

SARS were very cooperative in supplying Customs and Excise historical information on new and used equipment

N 800 000 new PCs and laptops

N 200 000 used machines imported during 2003

e-Waste Recycling – the formal system operating in Gauteng

Ferrous and Non-Ferrous Scrap Metal Merchants

N RECLAM,

N Spot Cash Metals,

N Schutte & Son,

N Jimmy's Scrap Metals,

N NFME, there are many scrap metal dealers but comparatively few handle ewaste

Electronic Waste Recyclers

N Universal Recycling Company – both scrap metals and sophisticated e-waste recycling

N Desco Electronic Recyclers – sophisticated e-waste recycling

Gauteng Findings

Recycling is state of the art, but there are some problem areas

N CRT glass,

N flame retardant plastics

It seems obsolete machines are being stockpiled

N 80% of IT equipment sales are to the government

N Is the “I don‘t throw PCs away” psychology valid?

Perhaps the buy-back price is unattractive?

The existing system in South Africa

Group 1: Recovery Force Field Diagram

Group 2 : Maximise Re-use Force Field Diagram

Group 3: Maximise Recycling Force Field

Group 4: Minimise Disposal Force Field Diagram

Group 5: Manufacturing/Importers take the lead Force Field Diagram

Evaluation of Force Field Diagrams

Driving Forces

Constraints

Environmental & Health Considerations 10 Stakeholder Organization for Product Management 6 Education & Awareness of Waste Minimization with Cost Analyses 5 Total Participation by Government & Industry 4 Knowledge of impacts 2 Better Design & Quality 6 Longer Lasting Hardware 2 Manufacturers, Suppliers & Retailers to provide product information and support 1 Storage Space is needed 8 Housekeeping & Space 1 Legislation on hazardous waste 7 Legislation on e-waste management 5 Landfills must not accept e-waste 5 Controls on G Class Landfill Sites 4 Increase the cost of hazardous waste disposal 3 Increase the cost of disposal 1 Almost everything is recyclable at a cost 6 Encourage Re-use with incentives for trade in & donation 5 Financial Incentives 5 Tax Incentives 4 Poverty Alleviation & Job Creation 4 Formalize Collection Systems for Second-hand Hardware 3 Create Infrastructure 3 Job Creation 1

Education Framework & Responsibility 5 Lack of Education 3 Inadequate Resources & Knowledge 3 Poor Communication 3 Poor Awareness 3 Implications of Current Business Practices 5 Resistance to Change 5 Imported Components with little back-up 4 Safety in Re-use 3 Increase the Percentage of components that can be re-used 3 Illegal Dumping at poorly managed disposal facilities 6 Cost of Disposal 5 Resistance to Cost 5 Illegal Dumping 4 Cost of Environmental Controls 4 Encouraging Informal Recovery might have SHE Concerns 3 Cost of Initiating Management System 10 Market Saturation for Collectors & Recyclers 8 Cost of Collection and transport 8 Small or No End Market 6 Customer Behaviour 6 Marketing 5 No formal Channels to deal with e-waste 5 Cost of Recycling 5 Psychological Factors 2 Recycled products are seen as inferior 2 Sustainability of Re-use & Associated Income 2 Perceptions 2 Inconvenience 1

1 = Very Low Importance 10 = Very High Importance

The Internal Value Chain – EGG 2004+ A Stevels & H Griese

Examples of Environmental Dilemmas

Material Weight and Packaging Reduction Potential of Consumer Electronics Products

The External Value Chain

WEEE Work Group – Work Areas

The SA-Swiss ? National WEEE Project

Financing scheme for WEEE recycling applied in 3 pilot collection Centres

Main Goal

Design and implement a business orientated and sustainable WEEE recycling system in South Africa

 Project Objectives

 Backup/support of National WEEE WG, which will develop a National WEEE Strategy and steer Pilot Implementation Projects

 Pilot Project Implementation of WEEE collection to support the development

of a sustainable financing scheme for the WEEE recycling system and test the

implementation aspects of the proposed sustainable financing scheme.

 Demonstration cases of selected Collection Centres (Buy-Back/Take-Back

and/or Drop-Off Centres) in co-operation with existing recycling companies have

extended their services regarding collection, handling, segregation of WEEE and so

improve its recovery. It is proposed to implement one pilot project in each of the 3

metro areas Johannesburg, Cape Town and Ethekwini.

 Support the development of a National WEEE baseline to make crucial WEEE

data available (as in China and India)

Pilot Implementation of WEEE collection

A South African System for the future run by the ICT Industry?

The Vision for the “Green E-Waste Channel”

A concept developed in the Western Cape by Susanne Dittke and the team that she works with as a model to :-

 Solve e-waste problems in South Africa

 Prevent hazardous substances linked to e-waste going to landfills or

dumps

 Use and optimise existing e-waste management infrastructure

 EPR – the Producer has responsibility for the product life cycle

(cradle to cradle approach)

Description of the “Green E-Waste Channel

Start with computers and peripherals

 Initially a voluntary initiative supported by local IT industry

 Explore integrated e-waste management strategies for reduce, reuse, repair, recycle, treatment and safe disposal → no cherry picking

 Sustainable, financially viable e-waste management system, driven by free market forces

 Solve problems before legislation gets imposed (Environmental

Management Corporate Agreement) such as Collect-a-can, Rose Foundation, etc.

Green E-Waste Channel

Questions open for discussion

 Who takes ultimate responsibility for the “Green E-Waste Channel”?

 Who controls the “Green E-Waste Channel”?

 Criteria and standards to become an authorized service provider for the Green E-Waste Channel

 Is an ADF necessary to start the system?

 Where should the ADF be raised?

 How should the ADF be raised?

 How much is the ADF?

 Name of the Section 21 company

Way Forward

 Create a “think tank” – Yahoo group discussion forum

 Establish a work group to cover selected activity areas

 Financing mechanisms, identification of alternative recycling routes, involving new stakeholders, etc.

 Members of work group have to include representative(s) from:

Importer, Retailer, Refurbisher, Recycler, Government, End User Groupings

 Link up with Recycle IT to kick start operation of “Green E-Waste Channel”

 Link up with the National WEEE WG and other pilot projects

Reference

Lombard & Associates

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