Monday 14 October marked International E-Waste Day, which encourages responsible disposal of the old or obsolete electronic devices that may be gathering dust in our homes.

These devices may contain materials that potentially damage the environment if disposed incorrectly. In addition, careless disposal of waste adds to the burden on limited landfill airspace. Rather than throwing these devices in the bin, residents should dispose at designated disposal points, where materials of value can be salvaged and repurposed, and any environmentally hazardous components can be disposed of correctly.

This year’s theme is “Join the e-waste hunt – Retrieve, Recycle, and Revive”. In commemoration, the City of Cape Town is encouraging locals to take any e-waste that may be cluttering their drawers and cupboards to a designated disposal site, where any materials of value can be recovered and recycled. A collection point has been set up for this week (Monday 14 to Friday 18 October) at the Cape Town Civic Centre, Woodstock parking area. The Urban Waste Management team is also on-site to educate and raise awareness among staff about e-waste.

What is e-waste?

Anything that has a plug, cable or battery qualifies as e-waste. Small electronics such as outdated cellphones, cables, USB keys, card readers, game consoles, tablets and other gadgets are the most frequently “forgotten” items. Other common e-waste includes, among other things, old CRT televisions, LCD/OLED and plasma televisions/monitors, computers, VCRs, DVD players, printers and radios. Light bulbs are also another common form of e-waste.

What to do with your e-waste?

Residents are encouraged to bring any outdated, damaged, or broken devices that have a plug, battery, or cable to one of our drop-off locations that accept e-waste so that components can be safely recycled and disposed of.

• See which sites accept e-waste from a residential source.
• Take batteries and CFL/LED bulbs to the household hazardous waste drop-offs at Athlone and Bellville Refuse Transfer Stations, or retailers that offer take-back services.
• Contact private companies to collect or purchase e-waste.

“Let’s declutter our homes of unused or broken devices,” said Mayoral Committee member for Urban Waste Management, Alderman Grant Twigg. “By doing so everyone can contribute to pollution reduction. Make use of the disposal services offered by our network of drop-off sites and our waste recyclers map as disposing of e-waste responsibly is now easier and more convenient than ever.”