Mission accomplished!

Joint initiative takes a step closer to solving problematic e-waste

While extended producer responsibility helps to successfully regulate operational and financial waste management in countries with EPR systems, treatment in countries with no EPR obligations is still a challenge (see previous article in COMPASS).

It is particularly problematic for hazardous waste, and waste that brings little revenue, no revenue or only costs.

To find ways of securing treatment and finance in countries with no EPR legislation, Landbell Group and PREVENT Waste Alliance have just finalised an 18-month project, “Piloting of treatment solutions and innovative finance models for problematic e-waste fractions”.

The main topics covered by the project are:

• carbon credits and their use to finance the treatment of refrigerator insulation foams in the Balkans
• how Lithium-Ion Phosphate batteries from solar products can be repurposed in Tanzania
• setting up a market for e-waste plastics in Brazil, and
• how mixed e-waste shipments can be used as a viable way to cross-finance the costs of different waste fractions from Senegal

The project’s outcomes are included in the implementation report and finance models, which present proposed solutions for lithium-ion batteries, e-waste plastics, PUR foams from refrigerators, and loads consisting of various waste streams.

Visit the project website to find out more about the challenges and solutions.