Recommendation on voluntary WEEE recycling program financing solution

Since the development of national WEEE recycling legal frame will take as minimum 5-10 years, voluntary WEEE recycling projects with government oversight should be encouraged and introduced. A motivational mechanism for producers and importers of EEE to engage into such projects should be developed. Many projects with engagement of importers and producers of EEE have been implemented in other African cities and these could serve as inspiration.

To solve the issue of WEEE recycling project financing, voluntary model could be considered. For example, a group of key stakeholders (recyclers, informal sector, NGOs, etc.) could establish specific WEEE recycling solution, which engages local small and medium companies, households, refurbishment shops, etc. In order to ensure project sustainability, continuous financing is required to avoid project focussing on “cherry picking”, to implement education and awareness campaigns; and to provide tools, training and equipment for safe working environment. The project could be run through contract with the major producers or importers of EEE, who are active in the region and willing for CSR or other reasons to finance the WEEE recycling project. EEE producers and importers could finance the project based on their EEE sales volume, so the financing is differentiated based on the size of the company in the market and the project costs shared in a fair manner between the participating producers and importers.

The project could be seen as a learning platform for future EPR policy and system development.