With new upgrades and gadgets emerging practically daily, digital goods now have a shorter shelf life than ever; the downside is the number of pass'e products getting tossed out - a hefty 50 000 tons' worth in SA each year, according to HP.
As the year draws to a close and consumers begin preparing for a spate of new tech toys, it's helpful to know where to go to make sure old goods are recycled responsibly, to help lessen the rising pile of techno trash.
According to the e-Waste Association of SA (eWASA), levels of electronic junk are increasing and expected to continue growing, a fact echoed by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).
These stockpiles of cyber trash are not only an eyesore, but pose substantial risks, both to people and the environment. E-waste contains toxic materials such as lead, mercury, arsenic, chromium and cadmium. When e-waste doesn't go through the proper channels, it often ends up being dismantled on rubbish sites where individuals can be directly exposed to noxious gases. Indirect harm occurs through the contamination of surrounding soil and water.
Other chemicals such as CFCs, PVC, and TBBA - a fire retardant found in printed wiring boards and casings - can also produce toxic emissions, which are dangerous when inhaled and accumulate in the atmosphere, causing damage to the ozone.
According to HP, about 70% of the heavy metals (mercury and cadmium) and 40% of the lead in landfills come from electronic waste. These toxic heavy metals can cause brain damage, allergic reactions and cancer.
Despite the tangible dangers involved, SA only has a handful of plants capable of recycling e-waste. Five dismantling/recycling companies have been accredited according to specific technical guidelines for processing electronic equipment, says eWASA. However, there still isn't one recycler in SA, not even those accredited by eWASA, which meets European standards.
This is something eWASA chairman Keith Anderson hopes to rectify, by bringing in the technology needed to set up a few plants, hopefully in the first two quarters of next year.
“These will be the first of their kind in Africa,” says Anderson, adding that one will definitely be based in Gauteng, with another possibly situated in KwaZulu-Natal.
Anderson explains that while a number of companies have recycling initiatives in place, they aren't co-ordinated, creating 'pockets of excellence'. “For the country to get the maximum benefits there needs to be an integrated plan so we can benefit from the economies of scale,” he says.
“If you do it on a national basis, more parties are involved, which will help meet eWASA's two main goals: for the number of tons of goods recycled responsibly to increase month by month, and for the cost per ton of recycled goods to decrease.”
eWASA is working with various industry players to create a system that ensures e-waste is collected and treated from end-to-end, through a network of drop-off points and service providers. Anderson hopes that plans to establish technically capable plants will help enable this.
“I'd like to see the technology come into play so we move to first world standards in terms of electronic recycling, while keeping costs down, creating jobs, and increasing the levels of waste recycled responsibly.”
Absence of awareness
Give junk new life
eWASA's Web site has a full list of accredited e-waste collection points in SA under the 'Recycling' tab on the homepage.
Pick n Pay: Compact florescent lamps, rechargeable batteries, mercury-containing batteries, cartridges and all e-waste can be dropped off at collection points in selected Hypermarket stores.
Makro: Makro and Fujitsu-Siemens have partnered with e-waste recycler Desco to provide collection bins in a number of stores for consumers to dispose of e-waste free of charge. Bins take all brands of electronic devices, including obsolete PCs, monitors, notebooks and cellphones.
Acer: Has partnered with Desco to install e-waste recycling bins at six schools in Gauteng, including: Crawford College Sandton, St Stithians College, St Johns College, King David Linksfield, St Andrews School for Girls, and Reddam House.
Dell: Has a free consumer recycling programme for any Dell branded product from individual consumers, and any brand of electronic product when one purchases a similar new product from Dell. The company collects from the consumer; contact them by sending an e-mail to: za_services@dell.com.
Nokia: Nokia phones, batteries and chargers can be taken to all Care Points nationwide. Make sure all personal and professional information you want to keep is stored via PC. If you don't want to keep any data and don't know how to delete it, visit the Nokia Care Web site to find instructions for your device. Also don't forget to remove your SIM and memory cards before dropping your phone into a Nokia recycling point.
HP: Has an IT e-waste bin at its Rivonia office that HP consumer customers can make use of. The recycling bin is located in the front car park just outside security.
According to Pike Research, in most countries, it is still too easy and cheap to throw e-waste in the trash, as consumers have few incentives to re-use or recycle used equipment. “There is no international co-ordination on e-waste regulation and, as a result, the electronics recycling supply chain is full of holes and open to widespread abuse,” adds Pike Research MD Clint Wheelock.
The firm predicts the e-waste crisis will worsen until 2015, when volume will peak at 73 million tons. However, it forecasts that global volumes will decline in 2016 and beyond, as a number of major initiatives begin taking effect.
Kobus de Beer, enterprise brand manager at Dell SA, says one of the biggest challenges locally is that companies do not know how to dispose of e-waste, resulting in large stockpiles in buildings and townships. “Effectively, e-waste that is generated in SA remains in the country and that which is disposed of goes to landfills resulting in the release of hazardous gases into the atmosphere.”
He adds that the country is focused on general waste legislation, with e-waste not high on the agenda at present, although government is working with industry to develop solutions.
“There is very little infrastructure available to customers who want to recycle and not enough awareness, therefore, both industry development and infrastructure are necessary along with education about the importance of recycling e-waste and the options that are available.”
Ruben Janse van Rensburg, HP environmental manager for Africa, notes that consumers are not very verbal on the issue, due to a lack of education around the topic. To help tackle this, he suggests starting early, with primary and secondary schools giving the same attention to e-waste as glass and paper recycling.
“The biggest problem around e-waste in SA is waste management, education and awareness. This leads to stockpiling and also selling of e-waste to parties that will not process e-waste in an environmental, responsible manner,” he explains. “Big corporates still believe that the old e-waste assets need to be sold to the highest bidder.”
Malcolm Whitehouse, manager at electronics recycler Desco, says there's been a dramatic increase in the tonnage of e-waste since the recycler was founded in 1992. “We started off with 40 tons per year and we've handled 4 000 tons in this year alone.”
Whitehouse adds that SA remains behind European standards and that ignorance is a large factor. “People don't understand e-waste and that it's actually necessary to recycle it.”
Susanne Dittke, founder of research and waste minimisation company EnviroSense, points to the growing consumption of digital devices as a key driver. “If you go to any toy store today, about 95% of what they're selling is e-waste. The whole landscape of toys has changed - everything contains plastic or needs batteries to run.”
Another problem, notes Dittke, is that electronics are designed for obsolescence, with cellphones getting an upgrade every few years, and computers requiring a complete hardware overhaul. “If you want to update your computer, all you really need to replace is the processor, but they're not designed to be able to do that.”
Research, recycle, re-use
Anderson has the following advice for consumers sitting with digital dinosaurs: “Start by sorting your waste at home, or at the office, by separating plastics and electronics from other waste - it makes it easier and less costly.
“Next, find a recycler close to you (see sidebar) and dispose of items at collection points.”
According to Whitehouse, there are drop-off sites in all Makro stores, with 2.4m by 2.4m containers that can take pretty much any electronic item except something very large like a fridge.
After collection, goods are taken to a facility in Pomona, Kempton Park, where they're dismantled and sorted according to regulations into categories like plastic, steel, and PC boards. The latter are sent to a refinery to recover precious metals, as a standard desktop PC contains traces of gold, silver and other precious metals.
We started off with 40 tons per year and we've handled 4 000 tons in this year alone.
Malcolm Whitehouse, manager at electronics recycler Desco
Anderson adds that old toys that run on batteries can still be used even if they've run down. A toy doesn't have to move or make noises to be enjoyed, he says, so finding a reputable charity to donate it to gives it a second life.
Dittke encourages thinking before buying. “Firstly, do you really need that item? Don't fall for marketing that tells you you're not cool, sexy, trendy enough if you don't have the latest phone.
“The footprint of creating electronic goods is massive. Don't consume - that's really at the heart of it”.
If you do have to buy a product, says Dittke, look for eco-labels like the Energy Star and Epeat - a manufacturer evaluation of how green electronics are, as well as long-life batteries; items that are energy-saving and designed without toxins; and bamboo instead of plastic.
“These things are all on the fringe at the moment, but if there's consumer demand, it sends the message to manufacturers to produce more environmentally intelligent goods.”
Buyers can also consider refurbished hardware rather than buying new. “Lots of refurbishers still provide a guarantee and offer discounts - it's a good option for those with less income,” she says.
While e-waste in SA is not yet out of control, according to Dittke, consumption trends suggest we're heading towards an increasingly junk-filled society. “We haven't hit an avalanche of e-waste yet, but that's why it's so important to make a plan now.”
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