Combined efforts combat SA e-waste

Public and private sector organisations are uniting to address the problem of electronic waste (e-waste), with corporate SA, especially technology companies, taking environmental challenges seriously.

So says Sandra Ayerst, marketing manager at Acer SA, who says the company is working to establish a green supply chain by collaborating with suppliers.

However, Ruben Janse van Rensburg, HP's environmental business manager, says unlike in Europe, where similar programmes have resulted in almost a billion tons of used computers being collected, local take-up of programmes by corporate companies has been slow. “Only a few hundred tons of old computers have been collected thus far, but it is improving.”

He explains that companies are set on donating computers to charity or auctioning them off, rather than looking at disposing them properly. “Many computers are also dumped on landfill sites where scrap dealers then burn them to get the metals they can recycle.

“This has often proved hazardous, particularly if monitors are burned as this releases lead, mercury and phosphorus, which are harmful to the environment,” adds Jansen van Rensburg.

Ayerst says the E-waste Association of SA (Ewasa) was established to tackle the e-waste problem in the country, adding that any company can join if it is committed to the environmentally sound management of the e-waste it generates.

She says some of its members include Woolworths, Vessa, Mustek, Sylvara, Ziko and Acer. Jansen van Rensburg says HP is running an initiative with Ewasa whereby consumers can drop off old or unused computers.

“HP is intent on reusing and recycling old computers safely, so much so it is warehousing old monitors until we can find a suitable contractor that is able to recycle them without damaging the environment.”

“Acer is using Desco Electronic Recyclers as their e-waste disposal partner,” explains Ayerst, adding that Desco primarily services the IT and telecommunications industries.

“Once the e-waste has been collected, it goes to the Desco plant where the e-waste is separated and categorised,” she adds, explaining that certain parts are cleaned off and sent for further processing. “They are then crushed and pulverised into smaller pieces so the metal parts can be recycled.”

According to Ayerst, educating the youth about the importance of managing e-waste is an important focus. She says Acer is working with Miss Earth to educate children on what it is, how it harms the environment, and how SA can combat its negative effects.

To this end, the company is providing e-bins to eight urban schools. “Urban schools were chosen since people in these areas generally have better access to technology, and thus produce more e-waste.”

Acer was mum on the schools that will receive the e-bins, although it says rural schools may be targeted in the second phase of the Acer/Miss Earth e-bin project.

According to Incredible Connection's group salvage manager, Terry du Plessis, e-waste is considered as “any item that plugs into a wall socket, or uses an electric current from a battery pack to run”.

He says Incredible Connection stores offer a drop-off option for any e-waste item, although fridges and larger collections are unsuitable due to size constraints within stores.

According to the Desco Web site, the company recycles computers, printed circuit boards, mainframe equipment, telecoms equipment, testing equipment and X-ray film.

“Desco doesn't pay for certain items, such as TVs, monitors, terminals, printers, keyboards and mice, although the company will dispose of those items provided other recyclable material is available to offset the costs involved,” says Ayerst.

Apart from the school sites, she adds, Desco has placed e-waste bins in other locations, such as Makro. More drop-off points are stated on its Web site.