The e-Waste Alliance (eWA), together with the Institute of Waste Management of Southern Africa (IWMSA) is delighted to announce its third public e-Waste Collection Drive that will be taking place on Saturday 24 September 2011. In a bid to substantially reduce hazardous e-Waste getting landfilled, the public is encouraged to bring any type of e-Waste to the offices of Engineering and Environmental Consulting firm ‘Jeffares & Green (J&G)’, at 14 Central Square in Pinelands between 09h00 and 16h00.
What is e-Waste?
e-Waste is any unwanted equipment such as computers, printers, fax machines, cell phones, toasters, microwaves, ink and toner cartridges, or any other electrical or electronic goods or direct parts thereof. Everything in the home or at the workplace that is driven by electricity, including battery operated toys, falls into this category.
Susanne Dittke, IWMSA Western Cape committee member says, ‘As a result of the ever-increasing desire for newer, smaller, and faster technology, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is now one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world.’
Toxic or hazardous substances in electronic waste are typically found to be heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium, amongst others. Electronics also contain small amounts of gold, silver, copper, platinum – all precious metals that are in finite supply, along with plastic, lead containing monitor glass and other metals.
Dittke continues, ‘Apart from being essential to keep as much hazardous waste as possible out of landfills, reuse of materials reduces the need to deplete precious resources.’ Dittke went on to assure us that ‘All the e-waste collected, will be re-furbished and repaired if possible (recovery of function), otherwise dismantled for re-use or recycling (recovery of materials), and all items will be handled according to integrated waste management principles, in the most environmentally safe manner.’
Bring out your waste
eWA is calling on households and businesses to drop off any type of e-waste for free, while enjoying demonstrations about the services, products and projects offered by eWA and its members. The collection will be overseen and organized by the eWA members, ECYCLE and eR e-Waste Rescue, with support from the IWMSA and J&G.
There will be the showcasing of some Waste2 Art products and the opportunity for curious children and adults to learn how to dismantle a PC hard-drive. Additionally, a raffle will be held with the great prize of a refurbished PC (HP with Dual Core & HD graphics), sponsored by Just PC’s and e-Waste2Art products for the second and third prizes.
Dittke is passionate about the role of the eWA and the IWMSA in creating awareness around e-Waste and says ‘eWA provides a constructive solution to the problems associated with the disposal of electronic waste. It can often be given a second lease life for use elsewhere, or through the recovery of materials and unique components, and can lead to the creation of entrepreneurship opportunities through the development of new skills.’
The IWMSA is a professional, multi-disciplinary organisation with voluntary membership established to promote the science and practice of waste management and is a non-profit organisation. For more information contact the IWMSA.
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