Electronic waste recycler EWaste Africa has joined forces with retail giant Pick n Pay and the Electronic Responsibility Association (ERA NPC) to roll out a nationwide grid of in-store e-waste collection points. The joint initiative aims to directly confront South Africa’s stubbornly low electronics recycling rates by embedding drop-off points directly into everyday retail environments.
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The project has already deployed more than 95 drop-off bins across the country, with a firm target to exceed 200 locations by 2027. To maximize consumer adoption, the process is entirely frictionless: shoppers can deposit unwanted devices into the specialized containers with no prior booking, handling fees, or paperwork required.
The in-store containers are specifically designed to collect small household electronics, batteries, and lighting products. According to the partners, a simple rule of thumb applies: if it draws power from a plug, battery, or cable, it qualifies. Eligible items include:
- Personal Tech: Mobile phones, tablets, laptops, and smart devices.
- Accessories: Chargers, power adapters, and cables.
- Small Appliances: Compact kitchen electronics like kettles and toasters.
- Consumables: Household batteries, lightbulbs, and disposable vapes.
The scale of the country’s electronic waste problem is immense. South Africa generated an estimated 530,000 tonnes of e-waste in 2022 alone, yet fewer than 10% was properly collected and processed. Although e-waste was legally banned from South African landfills in 2021, EWaste Africa estimates that 90% to 95% of this material never reaches a specialized recycling facility, remaining trapped in domestic storage or dumped illegally.
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“E-waste is classified as hazardous waste, and yet the majority of it is still not being properly collected or recycled,” warned Mark Williams-Wynn, Chief Technology Officer at EWaste Africa. When left in standard landfills or exposed to the elements, discarded electronics leach severe neurotoxins like lead and mercury into the soil and groundwater. Furthermore, volatile components like lithium-ion batteries pose significant fire risks if damaged or compacted.
This nationwide collection drive operates under South Africa’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations. Enacted in 2021, the EPR framework legally mandates that electronics producers, importers, and retailers take financial and operational responsibility for the end-of-life handling of the goods they sell. By establishing this retail network, the partnership provides a highly accessible compliance mechanism to pull toxic materials out of the domestic waste stream.
