StEP Newsletter 02/2019
New chair of the StEP Supervisory Committee
StEPs Supervisory Committee is pleased to announce Jason Linnell (NCER) as its new chair. He will remain in this position for the next 6 months.
Tackling e-waste challenges in Latin America
Over 60 political and technical representatives from 13 countries across Latin America and e-waste experts from around the world gathered in San Jose, Costa Rica, to discuss how to tackle the e-waste landscape in the region. In conjunction with the meeting an E-Waste Academy for Managers was successfully organized. The EWAM once again offered a platform to exchange on best practices, discuss existing challenges among practitioners and support better-informed decision-making.
Call for applications: Training of Trainers Course on Inclusive E-Waste Recycling
Together with international experts and in conjunction with the upcoming 2019 IFAT Africa trade fair on refuse and recycling in Johannesburg, GIZ is organizing a six days training of trainers course on inclusive recycling of electrical and electronic waste (e-waste). The course aims at training selected African experts to become topic leaders in the area of improving recycling practices in the formal and informal e-waste recycling sector.
E-Waste Collection points open in Central Africa
In March 2019, the first collection points for household WEEE opened in Central Africa, in Yaoundé and Douala. This is a major milestone for the WEEECAM (Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment in Cameroon) project, which celebrated its first year of implementation. The project aims at demonstrating the viability of an e-waste recycling operation on an industrial scale (5.000t/year) in Cameroon.
UN Agencies form E-Waste Coalition
StEP members UNU, ITU, UNEP, UNIDO und BRS are actively engaged in the work of the E-Waste Coalition. Since March 2018, ten United Nations entities signed a Letter of Intent to indicate their commitment to increase collaboration, build partnerships and support Member States to address the global e-waste challenge.
Launch of information platform encouraging manual disassembly of electronic waste
The Recycler Information Center (RIC) is a free online platform with safe, fast and efficient procedures for recycling common devices and appliances. The improved access to product information and best practices is expected to lead to safer and more efficient treatment of electronic waste.
Next version of R2 standard released for public review
The R2 Technical Advisory Committee has proposed a number of changes that will benefit the R2 community and the customers who rely on R2 certified facilities for responsible reuse and recycling of their electronics. To stay informed about changes, the public comment period, and transition timeline, follow the R2 Showcase page on LinkedIn
First "Fast Track Notification" has been positively closed
The concept of “Fast-Tracking Notifications” has been developed with the objective to make the transport of waste to recyclers, who comply with all regulations, simpler and faster within the EU. The aim of the concept is to ensure positive processing of such notifications within seven days, resulting in faster processing of materials, better economic conditions for recycling companies and much less effort on the part of the public authorities.
Close the Gap starts operations in Kenya
A Close the Gap Hub (CTG Hub) will be established in Mombasa aiming to push Kenya’s circular economy through the development of a training center, a tech incubator, and a makerspace. The separately operating Circular Economy Hub in Nairobi will support to bridge the digital gap by refurbishing used ICT-assets and recycle e-waste. Find out more
Further, Close the Gap supports the nationwide “PET & E-waste Recycle Challenge”, which will be launched at the Sustainable Inclusive Business Conference on 17 May in Nairobi. Students from 2000 schools throughout Kenya will compete in the challenge. Close the Gap will award a refurbished ICT-lab to the school that collected the largest amounts of e-waste.