PPDA issues guideline on e-waste

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OPINION

By Cris Magoba

At the turn of the 21^st century—and even in the decades preceding it—advances in science and technology were widely viewed as catalysts for higher standards of living and improved livelihoods. These breakthroughs were expected to drive production of top-of-the-range goods and services, ultimately making life easier and more comfortable for humanity.

While this assumption was, and remains, largely true, it has become increasingly clear—sometimes belatedly—that the availability of goods and services improves human welfare only when their production and eventual disposal are sustainable.

Indeed, mass production can have adverse, and often irreversible, impacts on both the planet and humanity if sustainability considerations, particularly proper disposal, are neglected. This is a critical lesson that is apparent in the procurement and disposal of public assets, especially with regard to electronics and plastic products.

The new directive sets standards for environmentally responsible disposal of government electronic assets.

Therefore, the entire procurement and disposal process must be subjected to careful scrutiny to ensure that citizens do not pay “other prices”—costs that, as experience has shown, can far outweigh the nominal financial expenditure incurred during procurement.

That is why Life Cycle Costing (LCC) is critical in public procurement. LCC is a concept that considers the total cost of procuring, owning, operating, maintaining, and ultimately disposing of an asset or product. In other words, LCC looks at the entire lifespan of an asset—from “cradle to grave.” The focus of this article is the “grave” stage, with particular emphasis on disposal, including decommissioning, and environmental compliance.

Thus, in a significant step towards sustainable public procurement, the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets Authority (PPDA) has issued a new guideline on the management of electronic waste (e-waste). The move promotes responsible disposal of obsolete government ICT assets, reinforcing regulatory compliance and environmental protection.

Guideline No. 3 of 2025, issued in line with Section 134 of the PPDA Act, Cap. 205, provides a framework for the disposal of electronic assets and electronic waste (e-waste). The objective of the Guideline is to offer procedural direction to Procuring and Disposing Entities (PDEs) in the disposal of such assets, with a view to safeguarding human and public health and protecting the environment from the adverse effects associated with e-waste, while promoting sustainable procurement practices.

The guideline also delineates items classified as e-waste to include electronic devices such as computers, refrigerators, air conditioners, cellular phones, desk phones, fax machines, consumer electronics – Television sets, monitors, and microwave ovens.

Furthermore, the Guideline aligns with other provisions of the PPDA Act. Section 66 requires PDEs to consider environmental protection, social inclusion, and the stimulation of innovation, while Section 95 prescribes approved methods for the disposal of public assets. It is also anchored on the Electronic Waste (E-Waste) Management Policy for Uganda, issued by the Ministry of ICT in 2012, which seeks to protect public health and the environment, support sustainable development, and promote responsible e-waste management.

At the heart of the new guideline are four key principles designed to reduce harm and to optimise the value of government electronic assets: Reduce, Repair, Re-use, and Recycle.

• Repair and Re-use: Equipment that can be fixed and reused may be disposed of through public bidding, auctions, direct negotiations, sale to public officers, or transfer to another government entity.
• Recycling: Equipment no longer suitable for its original purpose but capable of being recycled may be disposed of through direct negotiations, conversion into another form for sale, or destruction.
• Safe Handling of E-Waste: All e-waste must be managed responsibly. PDEs are required to dispose of e-waste through refurbishers licensed by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), return it to manufacturers or importers where take-back systems exist, or deliver it to licensed e-waste dumping sites.
• Controlled Destruction: When destruction is necessary, it must be undertaken by licensed e-waste disposal facilities, which are required to issue a certificate confirming safe and lawful destruction.

As mentioned earlier, the issuance of this Guideline comes at a time when the world is grappling with challenges of mass production and limited safe disposal technologies. Substances from e-waste, such as lead, mercury, and cadmium are known to contaminate soil, water, and air when improperly disposed of. Beyond health risks, irresponsible disposal leads to significant economic loss. Valuable materials such as gold, silver, and copper are discarded, and only a fraction of e-waste is recycled, contributing to resource depletion and climate change.

Furthermore, the Guideline is anchored on the prevailing and well-documented unsafe and hazardous disposal practices observed among some PDEs. These include dumping e-waste on land or into water bodies, mixing it with general waste, open burning or heating, stripping and shredding, and manually disassembling. According to scientists, these practices release toxic pollutants into the air, soil, water, and dust. Open burning and heating are known to be particularly dangerous, generating fumes that can travel long distances, exposing communities far from the disposal site to harmful substances.

With this guideline, the Authority is taking a decisive step to ensure that government electronic assets are disposed of safely, sustainably, and responsibly. Accounting Officers in all PDEs will be central to the successful implementation of this Guideline. It is important to note that Section 9 of the PPDA Act, among other things, empowers the Authority “to investigate and act on complaints received from members of the public in relation to a procurement or disposal process.”

The writer is manager corporate and public affairs, PPDA