ERA's E-waste Day campaign is back to encourage recycling of electronics

Image source: Leo Arslan from Pexels

Waste electronics are outpacing recycling efforts globally, with the rate of e-waste recycling in African countries at below 1%, according to the latest United Nations report. In an effort to drive this up, ERA has rolled out over 100 e-waste drop-off points across the country in collaboration with the likes of Makro and Pick n Pay. Their multi-pronged approach sees this non-profit company engaging stakeholders to address factors like policy and stimulating job opportunities throughout the value chain, amongst others.

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The “7 Days of Eco-activism” initiative will span across a week and features both a consumer awareness campaign, rewarding people for recycling with spot prizes like air fryers, and a number of industry events to engage and share knowledge for the sector, as well as an E-waste Awards ceremony.

Inspiring industry cohesion

This year, ERA’s efforts will not only engage the public in a follow-up educational showcase with incentivised spot prizes for recycling, but a series of industry events will facilitate collaboration and knowledge-sharing with key e-waste players.

“Off the back of last year’s successful E-waste Day initiative with Makro, we noticed there was a real need for industry stakeholders - from recyclers, policy makers, manufacturers - to collaborate more closely for greater impact,” says Ashley du Plooy, CEO of ERA.

The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations were brought into law in SA in 2021; an environmental policy aimed at producers' responsibility for the post-consumer stage of their products life cycle. To implement these regulations, PROs like ERA serve as intermediaries between industry and the government. ERA has a particular focus on Waste Electrical Electronic Equipment and Lighting (WEEEL) - which includes electronic waste, lighting and batteries.

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Keeping e-waste out of landfills

In South Africa, e-waste is growing at three times the rate of solid municipal waste, with the country’s largest metros facing a looming landfill crisis. When it comes to recycling, South Africa faces challenges like lack of education on the topic, insufficient infrastructure, as well as behavioural barriers.

“The very idea of recycling electronic waste is not well-known to people, so we find these educational engagement campaigns to be crucial in growing awareness for making true impact in the home. Our recent market insights shows that South Africans do understand there is an intrinsic value to their items, but the result has been e-waste hoarding,” explains du Plooy. “We’re hoping to get e-waste out of people’s homes and into the proper systems for treatment, reuse, and recycling.”

The National E-waste Day activation will take place over the weekend of 11-14 October and encourages the public to recycle their e-waste at ERA drop-off points, posting to social media for a chance to win spot prizes like air fryers. More information can be found on ERA’s social media platforms and the campaign microsite at www.eranpc.co.za/peopleplanetpurpose

Find an e-waste drop-off location here.