For centuries, business was done without consideration for the environment. This resulted in damage to natural resources. However, environmental issues have become a matter of public concern, and as knowledge regarding environmental damage has become more complete, the pressure to change our current behaviour has increased. Much of this pressure has been targeted towards industry, which is often identified as a major source of pollution.
Traditionally, environmental issues were viewed as a constraint to businesses, but the business community has now realised that efficient management in the environmental arena can benefit the entire company and open new opportunities for increased profit through improved production and operating efficiencies, reduced liability exposure, increased competitiveness and from a generally enhanced corporate image. Organisations are definitely developing a new green mentality and we are on the verge of an “environmental revolution”.
To this effect, the ITA, a non-profit body representing the ICT industry, stands at the threshold of a new era in its endeavours to guide its members and industry partners to implement environmentally sound solutions that will ultimately address the growing e-waste problem in South Africa. The ultimate aim of the ITA e-waste initiative, under the banner of the “ITA Recycling Guarantee”, is to contribute to strategies aimed at reducing global warming, to improve the living conditions for local residents based on better managed waste streams, resource protection, reduced health risks and an improved economic situation.
The ITA is working closely with the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), which mandated the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Testing and Research (EMPA) to study the situation of e-waste recycling in developing and transition countries, of which South Africa is one of the partner countries.
The South African “Knowledge Partnership and Capacity Building Project” is one of three projects worldwide, and the focus locally is on the development of viable business models that ensure e-waste recycling adds to job creation and poverty alleviation while remaining in line with the waste minimisation efforts of the government and international treaties such as the Basel Convention. As part of this project, the ITA and representatives from government, the ICT industry, academia and the recycling industry will be attending the World Congress on the Recovery of Materials and Energy for Resource Efficiency, in Davos, Switzerland, on 3 - 5 September 2007. This delegation constitutes the ITA e-Waste Steering Committee and will work towards leading the industry and consumer along the path of e-waste management in South Africa.
The need for self-regulation with regards to e-waste management within the ICT industry can be motivated by looking at the consequences of “unsustainable evolution”, namely, jobless growth, voiceless growth, rootless growth, futureless growth and ruthless growth. Self-regulation is a system by which the ICT industry voluntarily regulates the way it manages e-waste, while at the same time taking into consideration the important role of the government, specifically the DEAT, and existing as well as future legislation such as the proposed Waste Management Bill. The ITA recently submitted an industry response to DEAT on the draft Waste Management Bill during the “public-comment” phase. The draft has now been presented to parliament, but has not yet been gazetted, although cabinet recently approved the draft.
The ITA and its members are committed to this project and have made great headway in engaging with all stakeholders, including the DEAT, DTI, academia, NGOs, provincial and local government and ICT manufacturers/importers, as well as in establishing various local collection points and identifying credible recyclers and refurbishers. To this effect, the ITA recently received a response from the Ministry of DEAT confirming their awareness and concern regarding the growing electronic waste stream, and also indicated their pleasure at noting that the ICT industry is proactive in terms of finding and implementing solutions for dealing with the problem. The ITA has been invited to present the proposed industry-driven initiative to the DEAT in the near future. This relationship between the industry and government will create an enabling legal environment that will ultimately ensure the success of the project.
Ground Floor
Montrose Place
Waterfall Park
Vorna Valley 1685
Facsimile: (011) 312 2589
Telephone: (0861) 111 350
http://www.ita.org.za
“Uniting the ICT Industry”
Share