• The E-Waste Recycling Authority (ERA) has partnered with Makro to incentivise the recycling of ewaste this month.
• 14th November is recognised as International E-waste Day.
• Makro will setup four different drop-off days for ewaste during the rest of November.

Electronic waste continues to be a problem across the world, and with new devices announced or launched every day, ewaste will likely remain a problem for the coming decades.

In fact, on average, 6.9 kilograms of electronic waste is produced per person annually in Southern Africa, according to the United Nations, which is why International E-waste Day on 14th October exists in order to highlight the fact that responsible recycling of electronic waste is taken more seriously.

In order to assist South Africans who want to recycle, but may not know the most ethical way to do so, the E-Waste Recycling Authority (ERA) has partnered with Massmart for the month of October.

“For every broken or discarded small, medium and large domestic appliances and ICT items brought into a Makro store on the specified drop-off dates, a voucher will be rewarded in exchange, explains the ERA in a press release sent to Hypertext. 

“Technology has been moving at a rapid pace and there is an urgent need to keep up with the rate of waste and ensure its proper management and disposal – for the environment, the economy, and our future. That’s why for our campaign ‘The Future Started. Yesterday’ we wanted to raise awareness around e-waste recycling,” added Ashley du Plooy, ERA CEO.

As for what constitutes ewaste, for the purposes of this initiative, it ranges “from small appliances like electronic toothbrushes and toasters, to medium appliances like microwaves, and large appliances like stoves and printers, as well ICT equipment like computers and hard drives.”

“Defined as any device with an electrical current or battery, electronic waste is the most complex waste to manage and process; due to potentially toxic components used in their production such as lead and mercury, as well as a mix of materials including wires and plastics,” the ERA continued.

In terms of the aforementioned drop-off dates at Makro stores, the following dates have been listed:

• 14th October,
• 15th October,
• 21st October,
• 22nd October.

Those wanting to get rid of their ewaste responsibly are advised to head to a Makro store on the above days. It’s also worth mentioning that there is a cap of R600 on the vouchers per drop-off.

[Image – Photo by Eirik Solheim on Unsplash]