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Reducing electronic waste at SU

Wednesday, May 14th, 2025

Every year, the world generates around 40 million tons of electronic waste (e-waste) – the equivalent of throwing away 800 laptops every second! (according to The World Counts). As the digital landscape continues to expand, so does the need to manage digital waste responsibly. At Stellenbosch University (SU), the Information Technology (IT) Division is actively working towards more sustainable practices by finding practical ways to reduce e-waste, while supporting the University’s broader commitment to sustainability. 

Clive Layman, a technical support specialist from the End User Support team at the IT Division, says IT does not work in isolation when addressing e-waste – it actively collaborates with departments across campus. “When equipment reaches the end of its usable life, the IT Division must help departments dispose of it correctly. This involves ensuring equipment is decommissioned securely and then properly recycled or repurposed,” he says.  

Old hardware – like computers, hard drives and memory – is handled through secure processes. Hard drives are removed and physically destroyed to protect sensitive data. A specialised company collects these components, using tools like hammers and piercing devices to render the drives unreadable. These drives are then sent for secure recycling. This process ensures that sensitive data cannot be recovered and that e-waste is kept out of landfills.  

Students and staff can also make use of yellow bins that are available at the IT HUB and the ICT main building in Hammanshand Road, where smaller items like batteries, used phones or any small electronic devices can be put in for disposal. Staff members can also bring home electronic equipment that is not in use anymore to the ICT main building for disposal. 

With the introduction of new operating systems like Windows 11, the IT Division often evaluates older devices brought in for upgrades. In some cases, older laptops may not meet the minimum system requirements to run newer software efficiently. Before proceeding with an upgrade, the team considers several factors, including the age of the device, long-term performance expectations and replacement costs. 

If the device is unlikely to handle the new software smoothly, the IT team may recommend a device replacement instead of a software or hardware upgrade (costs versus upgrades are key). This not only ensures a better user experience but also helps prevent unnecessary digital waste down the line caused by continued reliance on outdated equipment. “Just because an older laptop can technically be upgraded, doesn’t mean it should be. Continuing to use a device that struggles with newer software leads to inefficiencies, frustration and often a shorter device lifespan. The IT Division helps users make informed decisions to avoid these pitfalls,” says Layman.  

Beyond physical hardware, the IT Division is also looking at digital clutter – data waste. Departments and individuals are encouraged to regularly clean up digital storage. This includes deleting old or unnecessary files, backing up critical data securely and avoiding the buildup of redundant copies.  

Staff and students are guided to remove old files when systems and devices are decommissioned and back up important data in a secure location. There have been cases where departments failed to secure data properly before equipment was written off – highlighting the need for better awareness and communication around digital responsibility. Whether you are a staff member or student, you can contribute to reducing digital waste by regularly decluttering your digital storage, ensuring old devices are disposed of through the proper channels, and being mindful of what you save and how long you keep it on your device.  

Through collaboration and awareness, the IT Division’s goal remains clear in this regard: to not only reduce e-waste but to handle the university resources responsibly and securely to reduce its digital footprint – one hard drive, upgrade and file at a time. 

 

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New e-waste bins at IT

Monday, October 4th, 2021

 As part of the campus “Going Green” project Facilities Management will be placing e-waste bins at selected spots on campus. We encourage staff and students to use these bins for any non-asset e-waste.

Two of these yellow bins (see example right) will also be located at IT. A bin will be placed at the IT HUB by the entrance and a second one will be placed at the IT Main building in Hammanshand Rd at the service entrance (facing IT the door on your right) Both bins will be just inside the buildings by the doors. 

WHAT IS E-WASTE?

Electronic waste (e-waste) or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) are the terms used to describe old, end-of-life or discarded appliances using electricity. It includes computers, consumer electronics, batteries etc. which have been disposed of by their original users.  More on e-waste.

We encourage all staff and students to use these bins for any non-asset e-waste. Bins will be serviced by Wasteplan and weekly inspections will be made by the university’s Wasteplan site supervisor to assess when a collection is needed.

For assistance and enquiries please email fmhelpdesk@sun.ac.za.

 

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Get rid of your e-waste

Monday, October 4th, 2021

Do you have old computers, monitors, cell phones or batteries lying around or clogging up cupboards? Are you concerned enough to dispose of them responsibly and not simply consign them to the dump?

There is a responsible campus solution. Facilities Management implemented e-waste bins on campus where e-waste can be disposed of and will then be picked up by contractors who specialise in the refurbishment, reuse and safe disposal of e-waste.

Electronic waste (e-waste) or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) are the terms used to describe old, end-of-life or discarded appliances using electricity. It includes computers, consumer electronics, etc. which have been disposed of by their original users. It can also include batteries.

E-waste is of concern largely due to the toxicity of some of the substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium and a number of other substances which are harmful to human health and ecosystems if not disposed of properly. The unsustainably rapid turnover of discarded electronics and computer technology is another reason for the need to recycle – or even better, re-use – e-waste.

What will happen to the e-Waste?

The contractors will separate the waste into items that

  • can be refurbished,
  • can be recycled and
  • must be safely disposed of.

Refurbishment of appliances and computers provides jobs and these items are then reused in needy schools and communities. Useful, scarce and valuable metals and other substances are extracted by recycling, while toxic e-waste is disposed of at special hazardous waste facilities. Examples of potentially toxic items include the old type of computer screens (CRT) and fluorescent tubes.

The procedure is as follows:

  1. Ensure that the items have been properly written off and dealt with in line with the University’s policy regarding the handling of redundant assets.
  2. Remove all your data, private and work related, from the devices. IT does not take responsibility for deleting or backing up any data or for any risk that your data might be accessible after disposal. Your device should be completely devoid of data.
  3. Dispose of e-waste in the yellow bins at the IT HUB (at the entrance) and IT Main Buiding (inside the service entrance on the right-hand side of the main entrance)
  4. For any further enquiries contact Clive Layman at Stellenbosch campus, Le Roux Franken at Belpark campus or Kevin Vermaak at Tygerberg. 

More information: www.ewasa.org

 

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Log out, switch off

Thursday, December 1st, 2016

It’s almost holiday, but what about that ominous to-do list? We’ve compiled one especially for the office to save you some trouble. 

1. Make sure your password won’t expire while you are away on holiday. Rather reset it before you leave so you won’t be locked out of your accounts when you return.

2. Secondly, did you put in leave? We hope so, but if you haven’t, here‘s something to keep in mind.

3. If you plan on using your PC or device during your holiday and you need to have it fixed, updated or need to set up anything in order to do so, please try and bring it to us ASAP. Just like with Christmas shopping, people tend to wait until the last minute, therefore we are busier closer to the end of the year. The sooner you drop by, the sooner we can solve your problem.

4. If you’ll only be returning to the office mid-January, make sure the necessary arrangements have been put in place in your absence and your colleagues are up to date with your responsibilities. For example, some visitors and external workers’ SUNid registration might expire during the holiday and with it, their access to the network and buildings. If you are your department’s SUNiD representative, make sure this is dealt with before you leave. More info on SUNid here.

5. If you regularly misplace keys, cell phones, etc, it might be a good idea to set up security on your phone, as well as a tracking device. Read our article on security and how to set up tracking.

6. Activate Outlook’s Out of Office assistant. Detailed instructions on how to do this, can be found on Microsoft‘s website.

7. And lastly, before you happily close your office door for the last time this year, remember to switch off all equipment using electricity. This includes, PCs, chargers, printers, screens and lights.

 

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Conservation by drone

Thursday, October 27th, 2016

You’ve seen the videos on YouTube – sweeping, breathtaking aerial shots capturing locations inaccessible to most people. On Wednesday Rhino Africa released a video compiled with drone footage which shows the beauty of Africa and the results are truly breathtaking. 

We can now gain access to previously remote areas with drones or UAV’s (unmanned aerial vehicles) controlled by remote or with the guidance of software and GPS. These flying robots were named “drones” because they resemble the monotonous sound a male bee makes.

droneInitially, drones weren’t used for recreational activities. The first drones were utilised in the military, but today civilian drones outnumber their military counterparts. It is estimated that, by 2015, over a million has been sold. Currently, they are used  in commercial, scientific, recreational, agricultural, and other applications, such as policing and surveillance, aerial photography and conservation. 

The idea of using UAVs for conservation was conceived by Lian Pin Koh, a conservation ecologist and Serge Wich, a primate biologist in January 2011. It soon came to light that the available UAVs were too expensive for use in developing countries where they were most needed. The only solution for Lian and Serge was to build their own more affordable version, which ended up costing less than $2,000.

A year later, they tested their prototype in North Sumatra, Indonesia where the UAV flew over 30 missions and collected thousands of high-quality aerial images and video footage of forests and wildlife. (https://conservationdrones.org/our-story/)

As their research became known, the term “Conservation Drone” was coined and by 2012 the International Anti-Poaching Foundation was using UAV’s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FIrgjCNcDBI

Worldwide organisations began using drones for conservation. In 2012 the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) started using UAVs in Chitwan National Park, Nepal to monitor rhinos, tigers and elephants, but also to deter poachers. In the same year, Google donated $5 million to the WWF to purchase conservation drones to fly over parts of Africa and Asia in an attempt to help monitor and catch wildlife poachers.

Closer to home UAVs have been used successfully in the Kruger National Park against rhino poachers. In 2012 a UAV was loaned to the South African National Parks authority by its manufacturer, Denel Dynamics. 

“In March 2014, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation announced a 255 million rand donation for a three-year initiative in partnership with Nature Conservation Trust, South African National Parks (SANParks) and a South African public benefit organisation (PBO) to combat poaching in Kruger National Park and test new anti-poaching technology. SANParks is testing the use of drones and this year, the Foundation added a further 37.7 million rand to buy a helicopter for use in anti-poaching operations.” (https://www.savetherhino.org)

In Namibia, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society used this technology to monitor the annual seal cull and also to combat rhino poaching in Etosha National Park. 

Other uses for UAVs include aerial crop surveys, aerial photography, search and rescue, inspection of power lines and pipelines, counting wildlife, delivering medical supplies to otherwise inaccessible regions, and detection of illegal hunting, reconnaissance operations, cooperative environment monitoring, border patrol missions, convoy protection, forest fire detection and monitoring,  surveillance, coordinating humanitarian aid, plume tracking, land surveying, fire and large-accident investigation, landslide measurement, illegal landfill detection, the construction industry and crowd monitoring. (Wikipedia) 

[SOURCES: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unmanned_aerial_vehicle, https://conservationdrones.org/our-story/, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation_Drones, https://www.savetherhino.org/rhino_info/thorny_issues/the_use_of_drones_in_rhino_conservation]

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