Developing and Implementing E-waste Policy and Regulation for a Circular Economy

It is expected that with unprecedented industrialisation, urbanisation and connectivity, the volume of WEEE will continue to rise dramatically. With a rise in the wealth and disposable income of the global population, the diversity and complexity in the composition of the consumer waste stream is increasing. By contents, a large proportion of this equipment comprises ICTs. 

Ensuring that a sound national policy basis is in place and that an understanding exists about WEEE management among all stakeholders, is a first but crucial step towards shifting to a circular economy. An efficient national WEEE management system will be underpinned by an extended producer responsibility (EPR) framework. In the absence of an EPR framework for the fair and economically viable management of WEEE, a circular electronics system in which we keep resources in use for as long as possible and extract maximum value from them whilst in use, will be unachievable. This is the current situation in most of the developing world and in economies in transition. 

At the same time, it is important that when WEEE regulation is implemented, it is appropriately enforced, financed, and backed by incentive schemes and effective national public awareness campaigns - such as the "Recycle Your Device" initiative from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Through the identification, engagement, coordination and capacity building of stakeholders, the primary goal of this project is to provide the beneficiary countries (maximum three (3)) with the tools and steps underpinning the system requirements for the management of WEEE in a circular economy. The beneficiary countries will be selected based on expression of interest