From Industry News
HP looks into African e-scrap
Computer giant Hewlett-Packard (Palo Alto,
California) is financing a project that will investigate how to improve current
disposal systems for electronic scrap generated by African companies, as well
as materials illegally imported from the West.
Currently, the bulk of e-scrap handled in Africa
is processed by unregulated and informal processors. The HP project will study
how to improve the way e-scrap is processed by those informal processors, from
an environmental and safety perspective. Ultimately, the project is looking to
develop a "blueprint for electronic-waste management in Africa," said
Kirstie McIntyre, environmental take-back compliance manager for HP.
The company will be working with two non-governmental organizations — the Global Digital Solidarity Fund (Geneva) and the Dübendorf, Switzerland-based Swiss Institute for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), which will be charged with implementing the research project.
The first phase of the project will involve the establishment of an EMPA-based pilot program in South Africa. Future e-scrap handling investigations will eventually follow in Kenya, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia as well.
The company will be working with two non-governmental organizations — the Global Digital Solidarity Fund (Geneva) and the Dübendorf, Switzerland-based Swiss Institute for Materials Science and Technology (EMPA), which will be charged with implementing the research project.
The first phase of the project will involve the establishment of an EMPA-based pilot program in South Africa. Future e-scrap handling investigations will eventually follow in Kenya, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia as well.