Black Friday’s Environmental Impact is an E-Waste Crisis

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): As Black Friday deals sweep across South Africa, consumers are eagerly replacing their old appliances and electrical items. However, this annual shopping frenzy is exacerbating the country’s e-waste problem, warns non-profit organisation Circular Energy.

South Africa is currently grappling with the fastest-growing waste stream in the country: electronic waste. Each citizen generates between 6 to 7 kg of e-waste per year, but only a small fraction (7% to 12%) is formally recycled. This Black Friday, the influx of discarded appliances could further strain the already overwhelmed waste management systems.

Circular Energy, an environmental advocacy group and producer responsibility organisation (PRO), highlights that all items dependent on an electrical current, or those with a plug, cable, or battery, can and should be recycled when no longer in use. These items often contain hazardous materials that pose a significant threat to the environment when improperly discarded.

For every gram of recyclable materials not recovered, tonnes of raw materials must be mined or manufactured, causing further environmental harm.

Despite these risks, South African consumers are not yet in the habit of recycling their unwanted electrical and electronic items. The country lags behind in implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, which require manufacturers, importers, and resellers of recoverable items to fund legally compliant recycling schemes.

Courtesy: www.bizcommunity.com