E-waste is not a bad thing if dealt with correctly because evidence of more e-waste in a country is a reflection of growth.
So says Ulze van Wyk, MD of Africa e-Waste, who notes that, on the positive side, more e-waste means more opportunity for job creation to deal with it.
“More PCs means more households have access to the Internet and [are] educating themselves. Growth is good, and in Africa we need growth and education of our nation,” she adds.
However, Van Wyk notes that although electronic equipment has value, it also has toxic parts that, if not recycled correctly, can harm the environment.
“The quicker the equipment is collected after being replaced, the more value the equipment has when reused. Cost of ownership increases with every month the equipment is in storage.”
In order to establish how local organisations are managing their e-waste, ITWeb, in partnership with Africa e-Waste, today unveiled the E-Waste Survey.
“I believe a lot has been done for e-waste awareness in SA and I am interested to know by how much. Many companies have tenders out for e-waste, but they have revised the tenders to make sure the refurbishing and recycling companies comply with certain criteria,” Van Wyk explains.
She adds the study also aims to put the spotlight on the cost versus the benefits of recycling correctly.
Meanwhile, Van Wyk believes the South African government is doing its part to ensure the country is not a dumping ground for e-waste.
“But I am a firm believer that it all starts with you, the individual, to ensure you do your part. Stop waiting for the government or someone else to do something; start in your own home, business or company.
“If each person takes responsibility for their own e-waste or other waste like paper, glass, cans, etc, others will follow.”
Click here to complete the survey and stand a chance to win one of the two BlackBerry 8520 smartphones.
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