An Eastern Cape technology start-up company is revolutionising electronic waste disposal and recycling in South Africa through a mobile unit dubbed the “e-shredder,” which will help private and public sector organisations to discard electronic products that have become unwanted, non-working or obsolete. 

Once e-waste has been sanitised, the recycled components will be upcycled into consumer goods which in turn will provide job creation in arts and crafts sectors.

eWaste Technologies Africa (eTA), a client of the Seda Nelson Mandela Bay ICT Incubator (SNII) in Port Elizabeth, has a zero-to-landfill policy, which means the company is committed to finding ways for e-waste to be reused, recycled or repurposed.

To this end the company, started a pilot project with a Port Elizabeth based non-profit organisation and will donate e-waste that can be transformed to art

“eWaste can be transformed into art. They will create jobs and the money made on these projects will be theirs. The non-profit organisation can make jewellery, clocks, and so much more,” said Enrico Vermaak, eTA Managing Director.

Data sanitisation services

eWaste Technologies Africa recently repurposed a hard drive shredder into a mobile waste disposal unit.

This means it can be transported to a client’s premises where it will provide secure hard drive destruction service.

The company will offer clients enhanced data sanitation services by ensuring that information on devices is rendered completely inaccessible even before the equipment in which it is stored is recycled or disposed of.

“We scrub all hard drives, ensuring our methods are compliant with the South African National Intelligence Agency requirements,” said Vermaak.

“If the information on old IT equipment isn’t sanitised or destroyed properly before disposal or sponsorship, it could cause massive reputational damage to your company.  Just imagine the implications of the unsanitised laptop of your CFO ending up in the hands of a competitor or local media,” he said.

eTA also offers on-site ewaste receptacles and collection services for the disposal of e-waste.

eWaste Technologies Africa is a member of the e-Waste Association of South Africa (eWASA), the body that oversees industry best practices and the latest recycling techniques.