World E-Waste Day on October 14 is an annual awareness raising campaign that was initiated by the WEEE, (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Forum to shed light on electronic waste. According to the UN, 8 kg of E-Waste per person will be produced worldwide in 2023 and most will go into landfills – causing irreparable damage to the environment.
Hirsch’s are committed to environmental sustainability, and as part of this commitment, they have joined forces with Triplo4 Sustainable Solutions (Pty) Ltd, Indalo Electronic Recyclers (in KZN) Cape E.Waste (in the Cape) and Itad Africa (in Gauteng) in a recycling project for electronic waste.
Commented Richard Hirsch, CEO of Hirsch’s “We are proud to be taking this step towards a more sustainable future with our partners, and we encourage our customers to participate in this project and help us to make a difference to the environment. We are always looking for ways to improve our environmental practices and we believe that by working together, we can make a difference to the planet.” 🌍
E-Waste refers to discarded electrical and electronic devices such as smartphones, laptops, tablets, and electronic cables. Commented Triplo4’s CEO, Hantie Plomp “The proliferation of these devices and cables has led to a staggering increase in E.Waste production, with millions of tons generated worldwide each year. One of the primary issues associated with e-waste is the presence of hazardous materials, including lead, mercury and cadmium. These toxic substances can leak into the soil causing contamination to the ecosystems and harm to human health” she explained.
Hirsch’s have placed designated bins at all their stores in KZN,Gauteng and the Cape and the public is encouraged to drop off electronic waste – including cables, digital clocks, keyboards, laptops, calculators, remote controls, and the computer mouse – in the designated bins in the shops.