South Africa wants its old earphones and chargers back
On International E-Waste Day, the government urged households to recycle small electronics. The country produces more than 360,000 tonnes of e-waste a year and recycles about a tenth.
Pretoria — South Africa's Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Bernice Swarts, has urged households, businesses and institutions to take unwanted electronics to recognised collection and recycling points, the government news agency SAnews reports.
She spoke on 14 October, International E-Waste Day, which this year focuses on small, cheap electronics: earphones, charging cables, adapters, electronic toys and mini fans, which often end up in the household bin.
The scale
- South Africa produces more than 360,000 tonnes of e-waste a year.
- Only about 10% is thought to be properly recycled.
- Discarded electronics can contain lead, mercury and cadmium, which can contaminate soil and water.
- Sending e-waste to landfill has been banned since August 2021.
What is being built
Under the country's extended producer responsibility rules, the department and the makers of electrical goods have rolled out a collection and recycling programme in all nine provinces, with a focus on rural and peri-urban areas. The organisations running it must work with municipalities, collectors, waste reclaimers and small businesses to set up collection points.
The department says the system is also meant to create work for local enterprises and for young people, women and people with disabilities in the waste economy, as part of South Africa's move to a circular economy.
Source: SAnews, 14 October 2026.
