South Africa has made major strides in how it manages electronic waste, thanks in part to the Sustainable Recycling Industries (SRI) programme. Between 2020 and 2025, the SRI project in South Africa laid the groundwork for a more inclusive, transparent, and sustainable e-waste management system. From national policy development to public education and training, the programme introduced the tools and partnerships needed to drive long-term change. Now, as the initiative concludes, South Africa faces a pivotal moment: to carry this momentum forward and turn proven solutions into lasting impact.
What is the SRI Programme?
The SRI programme is a global initiative funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and jointly managed by Empa and the World Resources Forum (WRF). It operates across several countries (including Peru, Colombia, Egypt and Ghana), aiming to support the safe and inclusive recovery of secondary resources, with a strong focus on e-waste management, particularly waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)-related waste streams.
South Africa joined the programme after the other countries, in late 2020. Running through to mid-2025, this national project was implemented in partnership with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and delivered by a local team of legal and technical experts. Working closely with government departments, municipalities, academia, and private sector representatives, including recyclers and PROs, the project laid critical groundwork to improve the way electronic waste is managed across the country into the future.
What the Programme Set Out to Achieve
The SRI programme was created to support the development of sustainable e-waste management solutions in developing economies by strengthening systems at every level while protecting people and the environment. It helps countries:
- Establish strong policy frameworks to guide responsible e-waste practices
- Develop shared norms and standards to ensure consistency and fairness across WEEE operators
- Build inclusive, self-sustaining business ecosystems
- Strengthen capacity to understand and manage problematic waste fractions
In South Africa, the SRI project focused on creating a more level playing field for everyone involved in WEEE management, particularly small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs). The programme also aimed to help stakeholders align with national regulations, particularly the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulations, and introduced a voluntary Conformity Assessment Scheme (CAS) to help improve service quality and transparency within the recycling sector.
Beyond technical reforms, the programme aimed to increase resource recovery, support job creation, and introduce a more circular approach to e-waste management in South Africa.
Key Achievements of the SRI: SA Project
Over its five-year run, SRI delivered a range of practical tools designed to strengthen e-waste management systems and make them more inclusive, transparent, and circular. The impact of the SRI project can be seen across four major areas: policy development, normative standards and conformity assessment development, business development and capacity building, and problematic waste fractions.
1. Policy Development
One of SRI’s most significant achievements was the development of South Africa’s final Draft National WEEE Policy for South Africa. Conceived through a systems-thinking approach and shaped by international best practice, the policy was adapted to the local context through over 20 multi-stakeholder workshops and public consultations. It was formally gazetted in 2024, with final publication expected in 2025.
To support implementation, a detailed policy costing framework was created to assist the DFFE in its internal planning. The framework includes five-year budget estimates, outlines stakeholder roles, and recommends implementing partners across each of the policy’s six strategic objectives. This work directly supported the formation of the upcoming WEEE Policy Steering Committee.
To help municipalities prepare for these policy changes, SRI also developed the Municipal WEEE Compass, a practical toolkit to guide local governments in e-waste management and planning. The Compass includes:
- Legal guidance on aligning local policies and interpreting bylaws
- Step-by-step guidance for managing the safe and responsible release of end-of-life electronic equipment within government departments and publicly owned entities
- Strategies for integrating basic WEEE management aspects into municipal waste systems
- Partnership approaches for working with Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs)
2. Normative Standards and Conformity Assessment
SRI developed a set of National Norms and Standards (N&S) for WEEE Management to improve consistency and quality across the e-waste sector. Published as a draft for public input in 2024, the standards outline minimum requirements across the full value chain, including:
- Collection
- Transportation
- Dismantling
- Mechanical processing
- Preparation for final treatment
- Collaboration with the informal sector
The standards and tools were shaped through a participatory development process, with input from industry, government, and civil society. While voluntary for now, these standards are expected to transition into phased regulatory enforcement. To support implementation, SRI developed a set of practical tools:
- A guidance document for WEEE operators
- An audit protocol for recyclers
- A compliance handbook for auditors
The project also designed and piloted the building blocks for a national Conformity Assessment Scheme (CAS), a voluntary self-regulation model aimed at improving service quality across the industry. Audits were conducted at four WEEE facilities in 2025, and all registered PROs received CAS audit training.
3. Business Development and Capacity Building
SRI played an important role in strengthening skills development for the e-waste sector by supporting South Africa’s Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) in developing Qualification Assessment Specifications (QAS) and associated learning materials. This work contributed to nationally accredited qualifications, including:
- The NQF Level 4 “E-Waste Operations Controller” qualification, developed with MICTSETA and gazetted in 2022.
- The NQF Level 3 modular training for WEEE Collectors, Manual Dismantlers, and Small Business Operators, developed with EWSETA and gazetted in 2023.
To support ongoing and accessible learning, the project also created a self-paced WEEE Masterclass – an online, six-module course designed with a distinctly South African flavour. This training will be made available to the public through the WEEE are SA platform.
In 2024, SRI launched WEEE are SA as a national online e-waste knowledge hub for households, businesses, and municipalities. Initially piloted at a local level, the platform was scaled up in response to growing national interest. It offers:
- Educational resources and how-to guides
- Public awareness materials
- A directory of retail drop-off points, along with interactive maps to help users identify and locate e-waste recyclers
WEEE are SA also hosts foundational reports to support small-scale operators and municipal planners, including:
- The iLembe Household WEEE Survey (2023)
- The WEEE Incentive Mapping Report (2025), which includes a live database of funding and technical resources
- The Small-Scale E-Waste Facility Framework (2025) (expected to be published soon)
4. Problematic Waste Fractions
Some types of e-waste pose greater risks or require more specialised handling. SRI identified three priority waste streams for deeper research:
- Lithium-ion batteries
- Photovoltaic (PV) solar panels
- WEEE plastics
In partnership with academic institutions, SRI hosted a series of webinars and workshops for each of these streams. These engagements informed three published reports that outline current best practices, technical challenges, and remaining knowledge gaps, laying the groundwork for future research, innovation, and regional collaboration.
Cross-Cutting Impact
Beyond its individual outputs, the SRI programme helped build a more connected and informed ecosystem for e-waste management in South Africa, bringing together a wide range of stakeholders, including (but not limited to):
- Government departments (DFFE, dtic, municipalities)
- Industry players (PROs, recyclers, SMMEs and start ups)
- Academic institutions and training authorities (UJ, MICTSETA, EWSETA, SAQA)
- Civil society and the informal sector (waste reclaimers, repairers, NGOs)
By linking these groups through a common purpose, the programme helped redefine WEEE as more than just an environmental issue, positioning it as a national socioeconomic opportunity rooted in circular economy principles. This collaborative network forms the foundation for sustained, long-term progress in responsible e-waste management, well beyond the project’s formal close.
What Comes Next?
Although the SRI programme officially concluded in June 2025, its work is designed to have a legacy impact. Several key structures and commitments are already in place to carry South Africa’s progress in e-waste management forward:
- DFFE is forming a WEEE Policy Steering Committee to oversee the implementation of the National WEEE Policy and coordinate future developments across the sector.
- The Norms and Standards will remain voluntary for a 3–4 year transition period. During this time, PROs and their recyclers will take responsibility for applying them as part of their EPR obligations. After this period, DFFE is expected to begin formal regulatory enforcement.
- The WEEE are SA platform will be hosted and maintained by Circular South Africa (CSA) to ensure continued access to the tools, training, and knowledge produced during the programme. This will help preserve the project’s legacy and support the long-term growth of South Africa’s e-waste sector.
What still needs to be done
While the foundations for better (read: safer, more efficient and more inclusive) e-waste management are now in place, continued action is needed to maintain momentum and close the remaining gaps. South Africa must continue to:
- Build municipal capacity to manage WEEE safely and effectively at a local level
- Fund and develop public-private recycling infrastructure that can scale nationally
- Strengthen collaboration between the formal and informal sectors, including better integration of waste reclaimers
- Explore regional partnerships and Special Economic Zone (SEZ)–based solutions to expand local processing capacity
- Support market development for reused and recycled electronic products (EEE) to stimulate circular economy growth
In addition, several ongoing challenges will require focused attention:
- Enforcing compliance and addressing “free riders” who avoid their EPR obligations
- Collaborating with DFFE and PROs to establish harmonised, clearly weighted EPR targets, including take-back and recycling quotas, social deliverables (such as verified integration of waste reclaimers and SMME job creation), and economic priorities related to infrastructure development and improvement
- Raising public awareness to improve disposal habits and encourage greater participation
- Embedding entrepreneurship and skills development into local economic strategies to unlock job opportunities across the WEEE value chain
By addressing these areas, South Africa can build on the progress made during SRI and move closer to a more inclusive, compliant, and sustainable future for e-waste management.
The SRI programme may have reached its official end, but its work is far from over. With structures in place and national awareness growing, South Africa is better equipped than ever to take on the complex challenges of e-waste management. The next step is turning plans into practice, ensuring the tools, policies, and partnerships developed over the past five years are fully implemented (and continue to evolve).
Keep an eye out for the upcoming Circular Electronics Initiative (CEI), funded by SECO, which aims to build on the foundations laid by the SRI team and take South Africa’s e-waste journey even further.
Watch the SRI: SA wrap-up video, produced by Samora Chapman, for a look back at the journey, partnerships, and progress.
