Frequently Asked Questions

PAESA stands for the Pan-African Environmental Stewardship Authority. We are a pan-continental Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) registered under the African Union Framework on Extended Producer Responsibility. We lead environmental stewardship across all 54 AU member states, focusing on e-waste, batteries, lighting, and plastics.

EPR is a policy approach under which producers are given a significant responsibility – financial and/or physical – for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer products. Assigning such responsibility could provide incentives to prevent waste at the source, support the achievement of public recycling and materials management goals, and foster a circular economy.

You can drop off end-of-life electronics (computers, phones, appliances), household and automotive batteries, lighting equipment (fluorescent tubes, LEDs), and single-use plastics. Please visit the "Find a Recycling Point" map on our homepage to locate the nearest certified facility to you.

No. Under the PAESA EPR framework, the cost of collection and recycling is covered by the producers and manufacturers of the items. For the public, dropping off certified waste at designated PAESA collection points is entirely free of charge.

Joining PAESA provides national governments with access to a harmonised legal framework for EPR, reducing the bureaucratic burden of drafting standalone legislation. Member nations gain access to cross-border recycling infrastructure, data tracking dashboards, capacity building programs, and funding mechanisms to formalise informal waste sectors.

PAESA operates on a levy system based on the volume of electronics and plastics placed on the national market by producers. The specific fee structures are tiered based on the member state's economic classification. Detailed fee schedules and levy calculations are available to government representatives upon request via our contact form.

To become certified, recyclers must undergo a rigorous audit process to ensure compliance with PAESA Technical Standards for environmental safety, worker health, and material recovery rates. You can begin the registration process through the "Service Providers" dropdown on our homepage. Certified providers gain access to the PAESA cross-border network and funding opportunities.

PAESA Technical Standards are aligned with the Basel Convention guidelines. They cover downstream traceability of hazardous materials, zero-landfill policies for high-value components, acceptable atmospheric emissions, and strict occupational health and safety protocols for workers handling e-waste and toxic chemicals.

You can verify any company claiming to be PAESA-certified by using the "Verify a Certified Member" tool on our homepage. Simply enter the company's PAESA Membership Number (found on their compliance certificate), and our system will confirm their status and expiry date in real-time.