Circular Energy has partnered with several companies to address electronic waste (e-waste) in South Africa and its latest collaboration, with Vodacom, is another step forward in its endeavours to manage e-waste responsibly, diverting it from landfills through take-back schemes for products like cell phones, tablets and chargers.
Establishing e-waste collection systems and recycling infrastructure can create income-earning opportunities in new jobs and markets.
E-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world and one of the ways to combat this is to offer recovery and recycling programmes to prevent electronic equipment being discarded or dumped to landfills. The collaboration between Circular Energy and Vodacom supports Vodacom’s commitment to promoting a circular economy by reducing its environmental impact and enabling employment opportunities in the green economy.
South Africa faces a major challenge regarding e-waste, which ranges from domestic appliances to municipal equipment. Since 2016, all batteries and electronics have been banned from landfills due to the hazardous materials they contain and the potential for toxic materials to leach into the environment. This is a positive move, but at this point, compliance rates in South Africa's electrical and electronic sectors are only around 5%. Patricia Schröder, CEO of Circular Energy, believes that if all companies comply, the positive impact on waste management could be significantly greater.
Vodacom’s e-waste circularity initiatives are focused specifically on electrical equipment and electronic devices. In the last financial year, the company recycled over 1 273 tonnes of network equipment, and it aims to reuse, resell or recycle 100% of the network’s waste by 2025.
The establishment of critical waste collection systems and recycling infrastructure promotes waste diversion from landfills and supports economic development in South Africa with the emergence of a green economy. This can create income-earning opportunities for individuals and entrepreneurs, in new jobs and markets for the collection, extraction and recycling of materials.
Schröder outlines the concept of a circular economy, which aims to eliminate waste by rethinking product design and lifecycle management. It encompasses the following principles.
- Ensuring no waste ends up in landfills: promoting practices like reuse, repair and recycling, rather than the traditional linear model of take, make and dispose.
- Design for longevity: products should be designed to be durable and easily repairable to minimise waste-generation.
- Right to repair: advocating for legislation that allows consumers to repair items rather than replace them, which can be economically beneficial, especially for those with limited financial resources.
- Consumer responsibility: individuals need to reflect on their purchasing decisions and the consequences for the environment, choosing quality over trendiness, for example, and ensuring proper disposal of products that have reached end of life.
- Choosing wisely: each person's choices collectively impact the planet. Education and awareness about sustainable practices are essential in fostering a culture of circularity.
To ensure compliance with the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, Vodacom is integrating circular principles into its business model, seeking to ensure that profit does not come at a cost to the environment.
Through Vodacom’s RedLovesGreen programme, customers can return their devices to any of the 37 repair centres nationwide to be repaired, refurbished, resold or sent away to a Vodacom-approved recycling agency to be safely recycled. As part of the collaboration with Circular Energy, Vodacom customers can also have pre-used devices conveniently collected from their homes to be recycled, simply by completing a request form on the PRO’s website.
“It’s essential that businesses take corporate social responsibility seriously. Profit and environmental protection can coexist. Businesses should assess their operations to improve waste management and incorporate circularity into their business models,” Schroder emphasises.
Circular Energy has also begun several initiatives that focus on waste management and job creation, particularly for women, youth, and people with disabilities. A collaborative approach with companies like Vodacom can help to raise awareness and provide training. “We are investing in buy-back centres in Limpopo, which will promote small business development and skills training, and lead to job creation,” says Schröder.
There are further plans to provide educational programmes that help consumers understand better ways of disposing of electronic waste. These programmes aim to provide comprehensive information on the proper disposal of various types of waste, including e-waste and packaging materials.
“We all need to cultivate environmental consciousness by reflecting on waste generation and making mindful consumption choices, for example, reducing unnecessary purchases and properly managing waste,” Schroder adds.
Partnerships such as that between Circular Energy and Vodacom are helping to reduce the negative effects on the environment and provide a positive blueprint for other businesses and individuals to follow.
For more information visit: https://circular-energy.org/
