Key Points to Be Taken Into Consideration

Reference has been made to the Law N° 50/2008 OF 09/09/2008 determining the procedure for disposal of state private assets, E-waste management project already implemented to establish a national framework that offers an end-of-life solution for electronic and electrical waste as well as other regulations and practices applied by other countries and researchers that ensure a safe disposal of old or unwanted equipment. Therefore, the two following key points should be taken into consideration: 

A. Consider the Data Protection and Privacy as well as Environmental Regulations

Data Protection and Privacy shall be taken into consideration either by making sure existing data on the device is safely removed, transferred, stored or erased, with exception of some sectors which carry sensitive data by nature (Health sector/ Security organs/ Financial institutions) which shall completely destroy storages before recycling, using institution owned shredding or crashing machine.

 In order to ensure a complete data destruction, The Data Protection Officer of an institution which does not own any of the above machine shall escort the storage devices to the authorized e-waste recycling entity to be destroyed in her/his presence.

Other institutions may also destroy the storage after assessment of the necessity to destroy a certain storage by the established valuation committee. Considering the E- waste management ensuring the sustainable use of ICT in Rwanda, preventing the negative impact of electronic waste on health and environment but also strengthening the local economy through creation of green Jobs and supporting the recycling industry, institutions shall ensure that all old ICT equipment are appropriately disposed, including the tiny pieces resulted from the destroyed storage devices.

B. Subcontracting or outsourcing the Best Practices

In case outsourcing is the option, then, the concerned institution in collaboration with the analysis and valuation committee must ensure working with an IT company with relevant public liability insurance; and that Insurance cover starts from the moment they take possession of the old equipment. The insurance should cover both hardware and data.

Moreover, if outsourced, the company should also present and ensure the highest standards of environmental responsibility, safety and confidentiality.