Progress on e-waste collection in the Haut Katanga province, DRC

June 17th, 2016 – At the beginning of 2016, Benelux Afro Center (BAC) a.s.b.l. with the support of WorldLoop together with Groupe One and its local partner CDEG received a co-funding grant from Brussels International, to set up a collection and dismantling e-waste facility for the Haut Katanga province in Lumbumbashi. As an industrialised area, the region has already relatively high volumes of e-waste and theses volumes will only keep growing.

During the months of February, March and April 2016, the market and stakeholder analysis was  finalized and a site selection exercise was undertaken.

After an extensive search, the project has found a suitable and affordable location, and has been in touch with local partners to support awareness activities. The operational activities and the first e-waste collection are on their way.

For the moment, the DRC has no sepcific legislative framework related to e-waste management, nor appropriate recycling practices, especially of complex fractions. In this context, the Benelux Afro Center approached WorldLoop in 2014 and together with the support of the Air France Foundation and Gilles Foundation a collection and dismantling facility was set up in Kinshasa, managed by BAC. Due to the first successes and experiences gained of this project, BAC, with the support of WorldLoop, Groupe One and with the local help of CDEG, hopes to replicate this success in the Haut Katanga province.