Webinar Series on Understanding Ewaste Value Chain in Humanitarian Settings

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Access to safe, affordable and sustainable energy is key for human development. In line with this goal, many humanitarian initiatives focus on meeting the energy demands of the displaced population using off-grid solutions such as solar lanterns, solar home systems, and electronic cookstoves. These solutions are cost effective and environmentally friendly compared to diesel powered generators. However, when these products near their end-of-life, the critical question of what happens once they stop working or are beyond repair, remains. For example, it is estimated that only 1% of electronic waste (e-waste) is recycled while the rest ends up being burnt, informally disposed of or hibernated in displacement settings. Furthermore, the lead-acid or lithium-ion batteries used in off-grid solutions contain toxic substances which can cause environmental pollution and damage human health, if not properly disposed of towards their end-of-life. Thus, there is a need to better understand the e-waste value chain as well as the opportunities and costs involved with e-waste management in humanitarian settings.

This series of two webinars aims to shed light on the rising issue of e-waste in humanitarian settings as well as the complexity of e-waste management. The first webinar in the series will set the scene by introducing the challenge of e-waste management in the humanitarian context. The second webinar will then dive deeper and invite practitioners from different parts of the world to share their experiences in a panel discussion.

This webinar series is organized jointly by GIZ Energy Solutions for Displacement Settings program and GPA Coordination Unit.

Webinar 1: Understanding E-waste in Humanitarian Contexts

The first webinar in the series provides an introduction to the issue of e-waste in humanitarian contexts. A joint presentation by UNITAR/GPA and GIZ ESDS will capture the scale and complexity of the issue, along with introducing the e-waste value chain in the humanitarian context. A presentation by the University of Edinburgh will then focus on the technical aspects of e-waste management. This will be followed by a presentation from IOM on the E-waste Project in Bidi Bidi refugee camp in Uganda. The webinar will close with a Q&A with the audience.

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Webinar 2: Navigating the policy landscape for e-waste management in the humanitarian context

Second in the series, this webinar dives deeper into the policy landscape for e-waste management in displacement contexts. A detailed presentation on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) followed by a panel discussion on sharing concrete policy examples from the ground will be shared. Practitioners from different countries will also showcase their experiences and learnings, along with an open Q&A session with the audience.

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Navigating the policy landscape for e-waste management in the humanitarian context

Further Readings

Publications/Resources from Displacement Settings

Regulatory Framework

Toolkits

Battery

E-waste Management

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