Circular Electronics Initiative (CEI)

Moving Up the Resource Value Chain

The Circular Electronics Initiative (CEI) is an international cooperation initiative aimed at improving how electronic waste (e-waste) is managed in Egypt, Ghana, and South Africa. Building on SECO’s previous efforts, it helps governments and key stakeholders to create and strengthen a framework – including clear policies, rules, and technical guidelines – for handling e-waste responsibly. CEI encourages proper collection and recycling, supports the inclusion of informal workers, and promotes shared standards and monitoring across the entire electronics value chain. By fostering knowledge exchange between countries, the programme aims to recover valuable resources, reduce environmental harm, and protect public health while advancing circular economy practices.

DURATION: 2025 – 2029

COUNTRIES: Egypt, Ghana, South Africa

FOCUS AREA: Resource Circularity & Recovery

FUNDED BY: Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs (SECO)

Project Objectives & Outcomes

The overall objective of CEI is to establish the enabling conditions for sustainable reuse and recycling of e-waste in Egypt, Ghana, and South Africa. Guided by the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), the programme supports the development of regulatory, institutional, and market-based mechanisms that ensure environmentally sound management of electronic products throughout their lifecycle.

To achieve this objective, CEI focuses on five key outcomes:

Institutional, policy and legislative frameworks

Develop legislation, institutional capacity, and EPR systems enabling sustainable e-waste management.

Normative requirements and enforcement mechanisms

Establish technical standards and enforcement mechanisms ensuring safe, environmentally sound e-waste processing.

Professional collection and treatment systems

Build viable collection and recycling systems integrating and upgrading informal sector actors.

 

Monitoring, data and transparency

Track e-waste flows, measure material recovery, carbon savings, and monitor overall system effectiveness.

Knowledge exchange and learning

Share tools, methods, and best practices internationally, scaling CEI concepts as global public goods.

Partners

Stay tuned

Follow the Circular Electronics Initiative (CEI) as we build sustainable and circular e-waste systems in Egypt, Ghana, and South Africa. Stay informed on project milestones, events, and insights by visiting our website and following us on social media.