The Sustainable Recycling Industries (SRI) team, with technical support from WRFA experts and in collaboration with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), developed a comprehensive National Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Policy. The Policy was officially adopted and published for implementation by the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment on 29th August 2025. The development of South Africa’s WEEE policy represents a significant milestone in establishing a comprehensive framework for WEEE management in the country.
The policy development journey began with the SRI project launch in February 2021, where international expertise was leveraged to share other experiences in WEEE policy development and introduce the systemic policy design approach. This strategic move established a strong foundation by bringing international best practices to South Africa..
SRI facilitated pivotal public engagement workshops since 2021. The first workshop brought together over 35 participants from various stakeholder groups to explore their expectations for the future WEEE policy through environmental, social, technical, economic, and legal perspectives. This workshop established a shared vision for the policy’s objectives. The second workshop built on this foundation to develop a mission, ultimate aim, and initial objectives. Thereafter, SRI conducted roadshows across South Africa’s cities (Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, and Cape Town) and virtually to gather additional input for the final draft of the policy.
The resulting policy established six comprehensive objectives centred on creating an equitable playing field for stakeholders, promoting collaborative approaches, enabling private sector investment, building knowledge and capacity, introducing a circular economy-inspired framework, and mobilising resources for implementation.
To ensure effective execution, a DFFE internal Implementation and Action Plan (linking preferred outcomes to the policy objectives and assigning a five-year timeline including some budgets) was developed by the SRI team in the form of a ‘Costing Framework’, and subsequently stakeholder departments have endorsed the formation of a dedicated WEEE Policy Implementation Committee (WEEEPIC). This multi-departmental committee will establish strategic elements, timelines, and budget projections necessary for successful implementation.
The National WEEE Policy can be accessed here.
