This report synthesizes the outcomes of a 2024 expert workshop convened by the University of Johannesburg and the Sustainable Recycling Industries (SRI) programme. It explores the governance, technological, economic, and social dimensions of WEEE plastics (WEEEPs), which, despite their relatively small volume, pose disproportionate environmental and health risks due to hazardous additives and poor recyclability.
Structured around the Social-Ecological Systems Framework (SESF), the report analyses core subsystems—resource units, governance structures, users, interactions, and outcomes—providing a diagnostic of South Africa’s WEEEP ecosystem. It reveals critical gaps in data tracking, infrastructure, regulatory enforcement, and value chain coordination, particularly between formal recyclers and the informal sector.
Key deliverables include draft policy recommendations, proposed collaborative research themes, and infrastructure solutions to support a more resilient and inclusive circular economy.
Purpose: To inform policy development, strengthen EPR implementation, and guide investment in WEEEP infrastructure, skills, and innovation.
Main users: Policymakers (DFFE, municipalities), PROs, recyclers, circular economy practitioners, researchers, donors, and multilateral development actors.
