E-waste surge
reshapes recycling

Global electronic waste volumes are reaching unprecedented levels annually, according to national e-waste knowledge hub WEEE are SA.

In 2022, e-waste reached 62-million tonnes – an 82% increase compared to recorded volumes in 2010, based on the latest verified data. Yet, only 22% of this waste was recycled through formal channels in 2022.

With the demand for new advancements contributing to fast-changing technological shifts, the global amount of generated e-waste is expected to skyrocket to 74-million tonnes by 2030.

With improper disposal of this waste releasing hazardous chemicals and heavy metals into the environment, WEEE are SA says the call for efficient and responsible e-waste recycling has never been more urgent.

In response to this global challenge, innovative systems and technologies are redefining how e-waste is managed – from careful reception and documentation to transformation into valuable, sustainable resources.

Transportation

Controlled and publicly transparent movement of e-waste is crucial to prevent illegal exports and reduce transport-related emissions. E-waste items should only be transported under strict international guidelines, with specialised companies and government agencies ensuring shipments (whether domestic or international) comply with safety and environmental rules.

Designated drop-off points and marked pick-up locations streamline the process, especially when items cross borders to reach the required specialised recycling facilities.

Tracking

Once at the processing facility, every item must be logged and tracked. At customs and drop-off points, items are sometimes registered using advanced technologies such as blockchain. This digital trail guarantees transparency and helps authorities monitor movement and enforce environmental regulations effectively.

Safety checks

Initial safety checks are conducted as soon as e-waste reaches the facility, verifying proper registration and compliance with health and safety standards to prevent hazardous materials from compromising worker safety and the environment.

Safety protocols

Working with e-waste comes with risks – sharp edges, flying debris, and hazardous materials – making safety a top priority. Employers must provide a safe workplace by identifying and controlling risks, conducting regular inspections, and maintaining a comprehensive injury and illness prevention programme.

Workers must wear personal protective equipment such as cut-resistant gloves, safety glasses, and face shields during dismantling, ensuring that staff and equipment are protected throughout the process.

Categorisation

The e-waste is sorted into categories by device type to ensure each piece is recycled correctly.

In South Africa, e-waste items are generally grouped into 8 broad categories:

1. Large household appliances (LHA):  Major household devices such as refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, air conditioners, dishwashers, and stoves.
2. Small household appliances (SHA): Smaller devices like microwaves, vacuum cleaners, irons, toasters, hairdryers, and small kitchen appliances fall into this category.
3. Office, information and communication equipment (ICT): Computers, printers, telephones, mobile phones, tablets, projectors, and routers.
4. Entertainment and consumer electronics/toys, leisure, sports and recreational equipment, and automatic issuing machines: Items like televisions, radios, video cameras, gaming consoles, musical instruments, drones, and digital cameras.
5. Light sources and lighting equipment: This category includes fluorescent and LED lamps, high-intensity discharge lamps, and filament lighting.
6. Electric and electronic tools: Power tools such as drills, saws, sewing machines, welding tools, and gardening equipment.
7. Security and healthcare equipment: Medical devices, radiotherapy equipment, CCTV systems, household alarms, and diagnostic tools.
8. Other/mixed waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE): This includes several subcategories to distinguish waste that does not fit into the primary seven categories.

The other/mixed WEEE category includes:

• WEEE containing radiation sources: any electronic equipment with radiation sources that pose risks to human health or the environment, such as certain medical or industrial devices.
• Renewable energy equipment: solar panels, wind power generation equipment, and other renewable energy-related electronic parts.
• Batteries and accumulators: industrial and portable batteries (single-use and rechargeable), inverters, and generators.
• Accessories: items that complement other electronic devices, such as headphones, computer keyboards, antennas, and connecting cables.
• Unspecified WEEE: a broad category for mixed or unsorted WEEE that does not distinctly belong to a specific classification.
• Non-WEEE: items mistakenly included in electronic waste but do not qualify as WEEE, such as packaging materials or non-electronic components.

WEEE is assessed upon arrival, including a visual inspection (cosmetic appearance, and preservation) and technical evaluation (functionality, and design specifications). Based on its condition and the results, the waste is directed either for repair and refurbishment or recycling.

Repair assessment

Innovative e-waste initiatives allow some discarded electronics to be returned to the pool of functional electronics. Common fixable issues are assessed – think battery glitches, cracked screens, or minor power faults.

A cost-benefit and technical analysis determines whether a repair makes sense compared to a replacement. Only devices that meet strict quality standards move forward in the refurbishment process.

Component harvesting

Not every device can be fully saved, but valuable and functional parts can often be recovered instead. High-demand components such as processors, memory chips, and displays are carefully removed and recovered for their functional worth.

Each part is tested and certified to meet strict performance benchmarks before being approved for reuse. Finally, smart storage and inventory management systems keep these reclaimed components organised and ready to power the next era of refurbished electronics.

Manual dismantling

The journey of e-waste recycling begins with careful manual dismantling. Skilled technicians dismantle electronic devices piece by piece – breaking them down into various fractions and components. In some countries, advanced tools like magnets help separate valuable metals. 

Advanced processing

Typically, e-waste is sorted into the following categories: precious metals (gold, silver, palladium), base metals (copper, aluminium), plastics, glass, circuit boards, and batteries. However, a proper recycling process isn’t just about collecting the valuable components from items like circuit boards or steel casings.

It includes safely isolating and removing harmful substances from old electronics before they can be processed. This means, for example, taking out contaminants like built-in batteries, mercury-filled backlights, and certain capacitors.

E-waste like fluorescent tubes with mercury needs special recycling technology to safely remove the mercury. After valuable materials are first removed by hand during dismantling, they still need to be processed further. Mechanical crushing breaks them down into smaller, more manageable pieces, making it easier to separate the useful materials from the waste. 

Some plastics in e-waste contain brominated flame retardants – persistent organic pollutants that don’t break down over time and can accumulate in the food chain, posing serious health risks. These substances must be removed from recycled materials, but separation is costly, and safe disposal options are extremely limited and expensive, with high-temperature incineration being one of the few viable methods.

For things like fridges and other temperature exchange equipment, the process is even trickier and more expensive because they need to be safely degassed and have their insulation foam treated properly. 

Advanced processing is followed by high-tech methods like shredding, tumbling, and using eddy currents to sort different materials more precisely. Because decontaminating e-waste is costly, manufacturers of these products – which often become problematic WEEE – should contribute to the cost of proper disposal through extended producer responsibility (EPR) programmes.

Hydro- and pyro-metallurgical processing

Some e-waste materials that still contain a mix of valuable metals (like gold, silver, and copper) after sorting go through specialised processes to extract them. This includes electrolysis, chemical leaching, and smelting, which help turn them into pure secondary raw materials.

Recovered metals undergo further refinement under strict quality controls. This final step, where the most valuable materials in WEEE are fully processed, takes place in high-tech smelters, which are very expensive to build and operate.

Because of this, South African recyclers typically send shredded components and other valuable materials to overseas smelters. For example, Umicore in Belgium, a leading smelter, can recover 17 different metals from e-waste.

The next chapter in recycling

The future of e-waste recycling is transforming the way we view discarded electronics – recognising them as a valuable source of secondary materials that should be recovered as part of the growing global shift toward urban mining, which helps reduce the need for primary resource extraction.

Innovative repair and reuse practices – already making waves in SA – are transforming what was once considered waste into valuable, functional equipment once again. This circular approach not only saves valuable materials and reduces environmental harm but also creates new economic opportunities. However, recycling technology cannot match the impact of simply preventing e-waste in the first place.

New technologies like blockchain and AI-powered sorting are streamlining the recycling process by tracking and properly processing every component. These advancements improve resource recovery while reducing the environmental footprint of our electronic habits.

WEEE are SA says one thing is clear: proper e-waste disposal is essential. By choosing to consume responsibly, reuse, repair, and recycle, each of us can contribute to a more sustainable economy – one that benefits both our planet and our communities.

* Find certified e-waste recyclers here, and read how to support WEEE management here.