Pick n Pay e-waste initiative unlocks job creation for people with disabilities

Supplied image: The pilot project with NEED, ERA’s Enterprise Development Programme, is based at the Cape Town

Newly designed bigger e-waste bins are being rolled out in selected Pick n Pay stores, generating meaningful employment as people with disabilities are being specially trained to repair, refurbish, and recycle this waste.

An enterprise development programme facilitated by National Economic Empowerment for the Disabled (NEED) is among the beneficiaries of this initiative, as Pick n Pay rolls out 210 new e-waste bins nationwide. These bins, capable of holding items ranging from cables and kettles to mobile phones and large appliances like washing machines, represent a significant expansion of Pick n Pay’s original e-waste program, launched over 15 years ago with a focus on light bulbs and batteries.

In partnership with EWaste Africa and the E-Waste Recycling Authority (ERA), Pick n Pay has already installed 33 new e-waste bins in stores nationwide, with plans to add 90 more by the end of the year and complete the rollout by mid-2025.

These bins are expected to collect 1,000 tonnes of e-waste annually - equivalent to the weight of a large cargo ship.

EWaste Africa collects and delivers e-waste to legally licensed recycling facilities, where it is depolluted and the resulting clean, processed materials are then repurposed into new products, such as housing blocks. Waste is also sent to ERA-affiliated service providers, where valuable materials are extracted if items cannot be repaired.

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Creating meaningful employment

Both ERA and EWaste Africa prioritise manual dismantling to maximise job creation. The pilot project with NEED, ERA’s Enterprise Development Programme, is based at the Cape Town Association for the Physically Disabled in Bridgetown. It demonstrates how the e-waste value chain can unlock job opportunities while reducing harmful waste in landfills. Funded by ERA, the programme is increasingly self-sustainable as repaired items are resold, ensuring zero e-waste delivered here is sent to landfills.

To date, 65 individuals have participated in this initiative which largely empowers people with disabilities by training them to dismantle, repair, and refurbish e-waste.

One NEED participant, Faneezwa Kapa, shared: “I use a wheelchair and was homebound before this programme. I'm now learning many things that I never knew before.”

Supplied image: NEED provide specialised training in repairing, refurbishing, and recycling e-waste

Another participant, Wayne Jansen, added: “I’m 57 and became disabled due to diabetes. Many companies overlook people like me because of age and disability. Here, we’ve learnt that an appliance that is broken doesn't necessarily mean that it's broken; it can be fixed. So what we are learning to do here is to dismantle it and fix it again, and it can give us more years' shelf life.”

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With around 7% of South Africa’s population living with disabilities, job opportunities are scarce for many. ERA aims to expand this programme as more e-waste bins are introduced in Pick n Pay stores.

E-waste is growing faster than municipal waste in South Africa, often containing hazardous materials like lead and lithium. Improper disposal poses significant risks, while low recycling rates mean valuable resources remain untapped. Recycling electronics conserves natural resources, reduces environmental impact, and creates much-needed jobs in a country with high unemployment rates.

“These new e-waste bins make it easier than ever for our customers to do the right thing by offering a simple and convenient way to dispose of their old electronics. Together, we’re reducing environmental impact, bolstering local recycling infrastructure, and supporting job creation for people with disabilities. It’s a small action with a big impact - for our communities and the planet,” says Steffen Burrows, sustainability manager at Pick n Pay.