Going green: UCT starts a project to reduce the environmental impact of electronic waste disposal.

Last week UCT kick-started a project to remove its redundant electronic equipment (e-waste). The project was launched on the Jameson Plaza on 9 April, and will be phased in over the coming months.

The UCT e-Waste Project, a collaboration between the Properties & Services Department and Information Communication Technology Services (ICTS), aims to reduce the risks associated with the hazardous materials that sometimes form part of electronic components, to free up much needed space, to reduce the environmental impact of electronic equipment disposal, and to reduce the use of raw materials by recycling and re-use.

The project springs from the Green Campus Action Plan, developed by the Properties & Services Department, explains Brett Roden, environmental risk officer for Safety, Health and Environment.

UCT is a member of the e-Waste Association of South Africa (e-WASA), and for this project has joined forces with another e-WASA member, Recover e-Alliance, a Cape Town-based non-profit organisation made up of a number of industry partners that strive for job creation and environmental integrity.

Roden said the aim is to identify an e-waste champion in each building or department who, in collaboration with his or her head of department or building supervisor, will organise the collection and short-term storage of all the e-waste in their jurisdiction. They can then liaise with Roden, who will arrange for the removal of the e-waste. See e-waste project for details.