GOGLA supports its members to implement responsible e-waste management. Companies and investors are increasingly focusing on extending the lifecycle of products and effectively managing end-of-life products to reduce the impact of e-waste from off-grid solar. The GOGLA E-Waste Toolkit helps off-grid solar companies and other key stakeholders address the main challenges of e-waste management, providing guidance and good practice from design and manufacturing, e-waste regulation to the ins-and-outs of recycling and consumer awareness raising.

Module 1:
Introduction to Recycling

This Module provides a high-level technical introduction to the recycling journey of solar components and the environmental, health & safety considerations associated with handling each of those. It also touches upon how to identify a recycler with guidance for due diligence, it includes:

  • Overview to the waste components in a pico PV product and solar home system – how do e-waste recyclers view your products?
  • How and where are e-waste components recycled/processed?
  • What are the hazards for each component and step?
  • Deciding upon your recycling and waste partners.
  • What tools can I use to assess recyclers?
  • What is current good practice?

The Briefing Note follows the waste journey (from products to components and fractions, and onward to recycling). It is an overview about how off-grid solar products are recycled, what are best practices for storage, handling and transport of waste, and how to identify recycling partners.

Module 2:
Design for Reduction of E-Waste

Module 2 will focus on waste reduction strategies within the off-grid solar sector, looking at circular design principles and how they can be applied.

The first solution that comes to mind when addressing e-waste is responsible, environmentally friendly and safe recycling. The most effective and efficient solution, however, is not producing e-waste in the first place. Various approaches span across a wide spectrum from design for durability to design for recycling to full circular design of the system. This module explores waste prevention and reduction strategies that can be employed at the early stages of a solar module’s lifecycle such as design and manufacturing; as well as touching upon circular design principles and case studies of companies (both within the sector and out) that have applied some of these strategies to their products.

This Briefing Note identifies tools and strategies to reduce waste in the off-grid solar sector. It takes a holistic approach, recognising that it is most effective and efficient to start by not producing waste. It explores product, services and business models that can reduce waste and includes case studies of four innovative companies and products.

Module 3:
Financials of Solar E-Waste

Module 3 will look at the financials of solar e-waste by breaking down its supply chain, identifying where the costs lie and who is responsible for them.

Module 4:
Policy and Regulation

Module 4 of the E-waste toolkit aims to provide a high level introduction to e-waste legislation, existing typologies and their financing mechanisms.

This module aims to provide a high-level introduction and reference guide to current e-waste regulation as well as provide an understanding of e-waste regulation typologies and their financing mechanism. The seminar will feature a presentation on e-waste regulation in East Africa with highlights from Kenya as well as a panel discussion on the benefits and challenges of markets with or without e-waste regulation. The briefing note will collate and point to existing resources looking at e-waste policy in top off-grid solar markets. It will also provide brief introductory material on e-waste regulation mechanisms and financing options, as well as an explanation on how costs of compliance contribute to responsible e-waste management.

Module 5:
E-Waste and the Consumer

Module 5 focuses on the consumer experience, awareness and disposal behaviors upon product end-of-life.

Access to waste is arguably one of the most difficult steps in the e-waste chain, recovering end-of-life or faulty products from consumer’s houses is no easy feat, but it can bring multiple benefits if managed properly. Improving the end-of-life stage in the customer journey can influence customer retention and up-sale, while ensuring that equipment comes back to 1) retain its value or 2)be channeled into the appropriate waste streams. Module 5 aims to provide insights into customer attitudes and behaviors toward solar e-waste. It dives into how companies communicate to customers about maintenance, repair and proper disposal, overall best practices regarding awareness, incentives and messages, and opportunities to improve customer experience through end-of-life management.

The GOGLA e-waste toolkit module 5&6 briefing note, is available to download now. Customers, take-back and collection covers the complex nature of consumer relationships with end-of-life electronics, and how off-grid solar companies can optimise their e-waste management strategy through take-back and collection. This briefing note is part of the GOGLA e-waste toolkit, which provides guidance and tools for managing solar e-waste.

Module 6:
Take-back and Collection

Module 6 of the toolkit focuses on take-back and collection channels, challenges and incentive.

During the E-waste festival in July 2019, GOGLA members and other industry stakeholders got together to create new ideas, partnerships and projects that would improve e-waste management across the sector. Take-back and collection was one of the main topics covered during the event. Module 6 aims to provide an introduction to take-back and collection and existing channels that companies can explore (owned/reverse logistics, third-party collection and informal sector engagement). This module will also explore the differences between access to waste and collection and dive into how companies can create incentives for take-back and achieve higher collection rates.

The GOGLA e-waste toolkit module 5&6 briefing note, is available to download now. Customers, take-back and collection covers the complex nature of consumer relationships with end-of-life electronics, and how off-grid solar companies can optimise their e-waste management strategy through take-back and collection. This briefing note is part of the GOGLA e-waste toolkit, which provides guidance and tools for managing solar e-waste

Module 7:
E-Waste Service Provider Catalogue

Choosing a recycling partner can be a long and difficult process. The module 1 Briefing Note contains tools to help companies evaluate recycling partners according to a set of quality and environmental standards. But before even starting to think about due diligence, having an overview of existing stakeholders in the market can already be challenging. The catalogue of service providers aims to lower the barriers for companies looking into establishing quality recycling partnerships.

Please note: the catalogue will be updated on an ongoing basis.

This toolkit is a work in progress and content will be added regularly as modules are developed.

Looking for additional learning materials about e-waste management in the off-grid solar sector? Download materials from the e-waste festival.