The Ministry of ICT and Innovation, the Ministry of Environment, and the Rwanda Utilities
Regulatory Authority (RURA), together with partners and affiliated agencies have today
launched a campaign to raise awareness about proper e-waste management and encourage
Rwandans to recycle their e-waste.
The campaign, which is supported by the United Nations Environment Programme and the
International Telecommunication Union, will encourage the return of old and end-of-life electrical
and electronic equipment, also known as e-waste, to dedicated collection points across the
country.
Improper disposal of e-waste poses numerous threats to the environment, the economy, and
people’s health. Over the past five years, the Government of Rwanda and partners have made
significant progress towards proper e-waste management to promote green growth and a
circular economy.
The new campaign will increase awareness about how and where to drop off old electrical and
electronic equipment and the status of e-waste collection and management in Rwanda. The
campaign aims to increase the collection rate of e-waste at dedicated collection points operated
by Enviroserve Rwanda, an e-waste dismantling and recycling company that works in
partnership with the Government of Rwanda. This will result in the protection of human health
and our environment.
“With the growing use of technology, electronic devices specifically, e-waste has become both a
challenge and opportunity if well managed to reduce carbon emissions and hazardous effects
on the environment. Statistics reveal that only 20% of global e-waste is formally recycled, which
means the rest is disposed of inappropriately. This campaign seeks to sensitise citizens about
the various e-waste management strategies that can be deployed to minimise negative impact
on the environment while creating economic opportunities.
Rwanda seeks to create a sustainable industry that generates less waste and creates new
decent jobs. We need to be mindful of the impact of e-waste on future generations while taking
advantage of the opportunities brought about by the circular economy and digital transformation
and transform this problem into an economic opportunity,” said Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT
and Innovation.
“Rwanda has a bold vision to become a carbon-neutral and climate resilient nation by 2050. To
achieve this, environmental protection must be a priority. By properly disposing of e-waste, we’ll
reduce the amount of e-waste that goes to landfill. This will support the conservation of natural
resources, the creation of green jobs, and the reduction of risks from hazardous materials
affecting the health of Rwandans and our environment,” said Dr. Jeanne D’Arc Mujawamariya,
Minister of Environment.
“Rwanda has demonstrated a strong will to advance proper e-waste handling and create a
regulatory framework that governs e-waste management and prevents hazardous chemical
substances from polluting our environment and impacting people’s health. We are delighted to
launch this campaign together with our partners including UNEP and ITU and we are confident
that it will be a success and bring about practical change in behaviour and understanding,” said
Eng. Deo Muvunyi, Acting Director General, Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority.
Through the campaign, the general public will be encouraged to drop off their e-waste and
encourage their friends and family to do the same. The campaign will run until the end of June
2022 and will target residents of the City of Kigali and Musanze District (which hosts Rwanda’s
first ever e-waste collection point). The campaign comes as a reminder that everyone needs to
take action to protect our planet and contribute to the country’s sustainable development and
green growth.
Partners
The Rwanda e-waste campaign has been organised in collaboration with the United Nations
Environment Programme, the International Telecommunication Union, the Ministry of ICT and
Innovation, the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Rwanda Utilities
Regulatory Authority, the Rwanda Environment Management Authority, the Rwanda Information
Society Authority, the Rwanda Green Fund, the Global Green Growth Institute, and Enviroserve
Rwanda.
More Information
● Learn more about the Regulation n°002 of 26/4/2018 Governing E-Waste Management
in Rwanda issued by RURA here.
● To learn more about Rwanda’s e-waste recycling and to book an e-waste collection
appointment visit enviroserve.rw.
Media Contacts
● Basile Uwimana, Communication & Outreach Specialist, Ministry of Environment at
buwimana@environment.gov.rw or +250 788 722 870.
● Didace Ndamira, Stakeholders Engagement & Communication Officer, Rwanda Utilities
Regulatory Authority (RURA) at didace.ndamira@rura.rw or +250 783 702 127.
