Statistics indicate that there is an increase in electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) in South Africa each and every year.

E-waste recycling, which helps to minimise this e-waste problem is taking place in South Africa but it is mainly dominated by the informal sector.

Informal e-waste recycling impacts negatively on human health and the environment, hence e-waste stakeholders such as government and electronic equipment producers prefer formal recycling of e-waste.

In spite of its disadvantages and avoidance/discouragement by the industry, informal recycling persists and this points to serious short-comings in the formalisation efforts by all present.

Key in the list of factors that make informal recycling to persist are start-up costs, operational costs, and unrealistic policies preventing the biggest consumer (government) of electronic equipment from supplying e-waste to recyclers.

Addressing and resolving these factors may be the key that unlocks a great progress in the formalisation of e-waste recycling.

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