systemic design of solutions: building a roadmap for a

Project: Strengthening of National Initiatives and Enhancement of Regional Cooperation for the Environmentally Sound

Management of POPs in Waste of Electronic or Electrical Equipment (WEEE) in Latin-American Countries

Systemic design of solutions: Building a

roadmap for a regional strategy

Author: Dr. Sandra Méndez [email protected]

March 17 – 22 of 2019

Bergwerkstrasse 45

CH-8810 Horgen

From: Dr. Sandra Méndez Fajardo 1

Table of contents

1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 2

2. Workshops ............................................................................................................ 3

2.1. “Learning from the pass” (Workshop 1, Tuesday March 19) ........................................ 3

2.2. “Prioritizing problems” (Workshop 2, Wednesday March 20) ...................................... 5

2.3. “Actions for the regional strengthen” (Workshop 3, Thursday March 21) ................... 7

3. General comments from observations during the workshops ................................. 9

4. References .......................................................................................................... 11


1. Introduction

This document summarizes the main results of the workshops developed as "Systemic design

of solutions: Building a roadmap for the regional strategy", as part of the EWAM 2019 during

the Expert Group Meeting (EGM) developed in Costa Rica.

After an explanation of the main elements of “systems thinking” which has been included into

the methodology of the systemic design (Figure 1.1), the general phases of the methodology

were explained, which would be developed during the workshops.

Figure 1.1. Systems thinking’s elements included in the systemic design of solutions (Méndez-Fajardo, S. et. Al.

2014; Méndez-Fajardo, S. et. Al, 2016; Méndez-Fajardo, S. et. Al, 2017)

In short, the systemic design applied on WEEE management, facilitates:

✓ The knowledge transfer between local and international experts,

✓ The competences in applying systemic thinking through socio-technical tools looking

for sustainable solutions,

✓ The participation of relevant actors in the design of projects and public policies, thus

enhancing the intersectoral cooperation in the region.

✓ The collective understanding of the current state of WEEE management in the country

and in the region, the identification of the problems to be addressed from the point

of view of the public and industrial sectors, and other generic actors involved in the

system.

This report includes the results of each workshop without further analysis. If the project

coordination requests, a deeper process of the information could be made, so that additional

elements that facilitate the progress of the action plans submitted by each country could be

found.

Decisions, design

SocialEnvironmental

?

Actors

Processes Causal logics

Perspectives


2. Workshops

The methodology of the systemic design of solutions is constituted by the following general

phases:

Figure 2.1. Phases of the Systemic Solutions Design

The highlighted phases correspond in their order to the three workshops developed in the

EWAM, whose details are described below.

2.1. “Learning from the pass” (Workshop 1, Tuesday March 19)

The design of the problematic situation proposes different tools to collectively rebuild the

history of WEEE management in the specific context, including stakeholders' map, legislative

and regulatory framework studies, identification and analysis of previous studies and existing

statistics, baseline of generation and flows of WEEE, among others. Within these, the WS1

develops part of the analysis of milestones in the legislative development and

implementation of related actions in the past, identifying in each of them the obstacles and

the actors who were involved and their interests.

Tables 2.1 to 2.8. Results of each group, with no additional analysis (in Spanish)1

1 Further Analysis possible at the request for project coordination, including additional translation into English.

Systemic Design

Preparation phase

Design of the Problemticsituation

Identifying structural

causes

Participatory design of strategies

Action and monitoring& control plans

Final policy approval

Costa

Rica2010 Uruguay

¿Superado? ¿Superado?

Si No

No

Si

No

Desconocimiento de otros marcos

normativosSi

Responder a políticas

ambientalesProductor Mercado

Cumplimiento del

convenio de Basilea

Gobierno Normar

Actor Motivación

Gobierno Mayor vigilancia

Recicladores Negocio

Productor que no participa Evadir costos

Aprobación reglamento RAEE

Obstáculo

Indefinición de la rectoría del tema

Resistencia de algunos productores

Actor Motivación

ONGs Protección ambiental

Organizaciones internacionales Cooperación por el

Obstáculo

Nivel de recuperación

Valor en mercado informal

Falta de tecnología de tratamiento

Reglamentación para baterías plomo-

ácido


The dynamics provoked discussions in which representatives of those countries that are more

progressed related to specific WEEE regulations, shared their experiences with

representatives of the less advanced countries that are part of the project.

Costa

Rica2017 Panamá Actual


No No

No

Si

No

No

Actualización reglamento RAEE

Obstáculo

Reglamento vigente obsoleto

Ministerio de Salud Cumplir con lo que la ley

Actor Motivación

Actualizar reglamento

vigenteCEGIRE

Anteproyecto de ley sobre RAEE

Obstáculo

Municipios Deberían participar

Ministerio de salud Deberían participar

Ministerios de Ambiente Deberían participar

Grupos ambientales Proteger el medio

Falta de discusión y debate

Seguimiento

Interacción con las partes interesadas

No es una prioridad para el gobierno

Divulgación

Actor Motivación

Brasil 2013 Chile 2010


Si No

Si No

No No

No

Medianamente

interesados

Acuerdo sectorial entre el gobierno,

la industria y comerciantes

Motivación

Mucho interés

Poco interés

Mucho interés

Actor

Gobierno

Industria Grandes

Indiustria pequeños

Obstáculo

Residuos peligrosos o no peligrosos

Fiscalización a todos

Tasa visible

Transporte RAEE entre estados

Consumidor Poco interesado

Comercio No interesado

Universidades Muy interesados

Bancos

Acuerdo voluntario para la gestión

de RAEE

Obstáculo

No era Ley

No tenía organización

No tenía respaldo institucional

5 productores Participar en el proceso

Actor Motivación

Ministerio Solucion a gestión RAEE

Relac Instalar tema en el país

Ecuador Honduras


Si

No

No

Si

Si

Gobierno Regular, controlar

Identificación actores para elaborar norma

No hay línea base

Socialización al público

Identificación de responsabilidades

Actor Motivación

Norma para establecer metas RAEE

y Responsabilidad Extendida

Obstáculo

Academia Conocimiento

Identificación-clasificación del desecho

Industria

No existe marco específico para

RAEE

Obstáculo

Falta de conocimiento de la problemática

Poco conocimiento del contexto social y

No ser objeto de prioridad en la legislación

No contar con presupuesto para legislar

Actor Motivación

Información, financiación

Consumidorconocimiento, usuario

final

Gobierno Regular

Espresas gestoras Gestión RAEE / negocio


2.2. “Prioritizing problems” (Workshop 2, Wednesday March 20)

Based on the Icerberg’s analogy (Figure 2.2) and the methodology of the Matrix of Direct

Influences (Godet, 1993; Méndez-Fajardo, S., et Al, 2017), participants prioritized the

problems given by the facilitator.

Figure 2.2. Iceberg’s analogy used for the identification of structural problems

The problems were selected from different sources, mainly the listings below:

• The baseline, objectives and components of the Unido-GEF project

• Sustainable WEEE Management in Latin America, ITU, Basel Convention, CRBAS-

Basel Regional Centre for South America, UNESCO, WHO, UNIDO, WIPO, CEPAL

2015

• Electronic waste Recycling in Latin America: overview, Challenges and potential.

Platform RELAC, 2011

• Electronic waste: A challenge for the knowledge society in Latin America and the

Caribbean. RELAC Platform – Unesco, 2010

• Results of the WS1 "Learning from the Past"

• Results of the RELAC’s WS on Sunday 17 (start of the EWAM)

Each group received a list of problems (table 2.9), within which two blank spaces were

included as an opportunity to include additional problems. The first activity consisted in

selecting by way of pre-prioritization 6 problems with the purpose of filling with them the

matrix of direct influences (Figure 2.3).

Figure 2.3. Direct Influences Matrix

Problematic

Situations

Real Problem

Evident effects

Structural (deepest)

causes or problems

Problemas A B C D E

A

B

C

D

E

¿A Influencia directamente a C?

¿B Influencia directamente a E?

Problemas A B C D E

A 1 0 0 2

B 0 0 1 1

C 1 0 0 1

D 2 0 1 2

E 0 0 1 0

a) b)


Table 2.10. Pre-prioritized Problems by groups (selected for each matrix) – in Spanish 2

The matrices obtained in the workshop are shown below.

Tables 2.11 to 2.18. Matrices of direct influences by group (two of the seven matrices) 3

As one of the results, those problems considered as the most influential were extracted from

the matrices (higher sum in the rows; first and second place), and the most dependent (higher

sum in the columns) (see Figure 2.4 and Tables 2.19 and 2.20). It is worth noting that no group

added problems to those delivered by the facilitator.

Figure 2.4. Shows how to identify the most influential and dependent issues – In Spanish

2 Further Analysis possible at the request for project coordination, including additional translation into English. 3 Further Analysis possible at the request for project coordination, including additional translation into English.

Falta de sitemas e infraestructura para la recolección de RAEE 6

Pobre (o nula) participación de los consumidores entregando sus RAEE 5

Falta de política nacional articuladora de legislación-regulación y actores del sistema 4

Falta de estrategias claras y/o robustas de información, educación y sensibilización a los diferentes

actores

4

Débil (o nulo) involucramiento de entes territoriales (como municipios, distritos, etc.) 4

Débil involucramiento del sector privado para financiar los sistemas de gestión 4

Débil (o nula) cooperación entre sectores público y privado 3

Deficiente y/o insuficiente infraestructura para el tratamiento de RAEE 3

Falta de directrices técnicas relacionadas con licenciamiento ambiental para gestores o recicladores 3

Impactos ambientales y a la salud ocasionados por la pobre gestión de RAEE 3

Falta de sistemas de información para la gestión de RAEE 3

Pobre (o nula) armonización de elementos claves para la elaboración de políticas regionales (elementos

comunes en la región)

0

Coordinacion intersectorial débil (dentro del sector público) 0

Problema

Problema 1

Problema 2

Problema n

Influencia

Dependencia

Problema

Problema 1

Problema 2

Problema n

Influencia

Dependencia

Problema

Problema 1

Problema 2

Problema n

Influencia

Dependencia 4


Tables 2.19 and 2.20 Problems considered by the participants, as the most influential and dependent 4

By generating the graphics of mobility vs dependency (Figure 2.5) for each matrix, the

structural problems which were identified were, "the lack of a national policy that relates

regulation and actors", and “the lack of involvement of the private sector to finance integral

management".

Figure 2.5. Graphic of structural problems (located in the power zone)5 – On the right and in red circle "lack of

national policy …" for one of the groups. Graph in Spanish

2.3. “Actions for the regional strengthen” (Workshop 3, Thursday March 21)

As input for WS3, the problems identified as the most influential in WS2 were drafted as

"strategies", so that participants could design actions to implement these strategies. The

dynamics of the WS were based on an adaptation of the Round-Robin (Méndez-Fajardo, S.,

et. Al, 2017), implemented in two rounds as follows:

- Round 1: Each group wrote a punctual action for the strategy included in the form

received, identifying also the actors that should be involved in the execution of such

action.

4 Further Analysis possible at the request for project coordination 5 The graph on the right shows the result of one of the matrices; Complete and additional analyses of the 8 matrices can be developed at

the request of the project coordination.

Cooperation public-private 3 Lack of consumers participation 2

Lack of a policy that relates regulation and

actors 3 Lack of collection systems 2

Involvement of the private sector to finance

integral management 2 Environmental and helath impacts 2

Second place in matrices Lack of strategies for education, training, information1

Environmental and helath impacts 1

Involvement of the private sector to

finance integral management 1

Lack of consumers participation 2 Lack of treatment infrastructure 1

Lack of participation of territorial actors 1

Lack of a policy that relates regulation and

actors 1

Lack of technical standards for licensing 1

The most influent The most dependentA

lta 16

15

14

13

12

11

10

Med

ia 9

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

Baj

a 1

01 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

Baja Media Alta

Dependencia

Mo

tric

idad

1

2

3

45

6

7

8

9

1011

12

13

14

15

Zona de Poder Zona de Conflicto

Zona de Autónoma Zona de Salida

problemas másinfluenciables

(solucionadas a travésde la solución de otras)

Problemasestructurales

Zona de poder Zona de conflicto

Zona autónoma Zona de salida


- Round 2: Each group received the result of Round 1 of another group and analyzed it

according to the possible obstacles that could be presented at different levels: legal-

normative, logistic-technical, economic-financial, institutional, socio-cultural, and

"others". Based on this, the participants proposed a new wording of the action received,

in order as to consider or to avoid the possible obstacles identified.

As general result, the main actions and obstacles identified were6 - Table in Spanish:

6 The project coordination could require making a thorough analysis that allows to identify clear gaps from identified obstacles, as well as

concrete actions based on the approximation achieved with the 1 hour exercise, including additional translation into English.

Estrategia Acción propuesta legales-normativos Logísticos-técnicoseconómicos-

financierosinstitucionales Socio-culturales Otros

Mayor

participación

articulada de

entes territoriales

(como municipios,

distritos, etc)

Elaborar un plan de acción

para la gestión de RAEE con la

participación de los distintos

actores

Ninguno Falta de

conocimiento,

falta de interés

Falta de

presupuesto del

Gobierno

Falta de

conocimiento,

falta de interés,

coordinación

Falta de

conocimiento

Ninguno

Establecimiento

de directrices

técnicas para el

licenciamiento

ambiental de

recicladores o

gestores

Desarrollo participativo de

una normativa técnica basada

en estándares

internacionales, involucrando

fabricantes, productores,

comercializadores,

recicladores, gobierno, ONGs,

usuarios y, principalmente,

expertos técnicos

Ninguno Falta de

profesionales

técnicos

Ninguno Participación de

los productores

Ninguno Ninguno

Diseño de una

política nacional

articuladora de

regulación-

legislación y

actores del

sistema

establecimiento de un comité

nacional multisectorial

Definición de

roles y

actividades

Incorporación

de cooperación

internacional

Ninguno Ninguno

Diseño de una

política nacional

articuladora de

regulación-

legislación y

actores del

sistema

Desarrollo de un borrador de

política con base en un

diagnóstico de situación

previo a convocar a un

proceso de trabajo

multisectoral

Poder del

órgano

convocante;

ausencia de

diagnóstico o

línea base

Disponibilidad

de información

eficaz y efectiva;

cidentificación

de actores

claves

Financiamiento

para la

asistencia

(viáticos, etc);

desarrollo de la

actividad

Tener pautas y

objetivos claros

sobre el proceso

y fin de la

convocatoria

Historia/relació

n/competencia

entre los

actores; lograr

sinergias

positivas;

intereses

Visualización/id

entificación de

actores

"invisibles"

(sector informal

y vulnerable,

cooperativas,

academia)

Aumento en la

participación de

los consumidores

entregando sus

RAEE a los

sistemas de

recolección

autorizados

Programas de educación

ambiental enfocados a la

gestión de RAEE, dirigido a los

estudiantes de nivel primario,

secundario y universitario,

para crear consicencia del uso

racional de gestión

Actualización

cíclica de

curriculos

formación de

profesores,

recargo de

curricula,

restricción a la

educación

formal

Se necesita

presuepuesto

para el

desarrollo de

curricula

Involucrar a

productores,

distribuidores

Educación

primaria (largo

plazo) no son

consumidores,

son usuarios

Incluir

educación de

adultos y por

municipios;

campañas de

sensibilización

Aumento en la

participación de

los consumidores

entregando sus

RAEE a los

sistemas de

recolección

autorizados

Diseño/revisión de política

pública con REP que incluya

incentivos económicos y

promoción de la competencia

leal (control de free-riders)

Ninguno Ninguno Ninguno Ninguno Ninguno Ninguno

Fortalecimiento de

la cooperación de

los sectores

público y privado

Realizar un plan de acción

para la gestión de RAEE con la

participación de actores de

ambos sectores

Registro

apropiado de

los productores

Creación de un

registro único

Crear la forma

de

financiamiento

Falta de

personal

capacitado;

puede no ser

prioridad

Falta de

conscientización

y sensibilización

Ninguno

Proceso costoso en material y

tiempo por la inclusión de actores

como municipios y sociedad civil

Posibles obstáculos identificados en el ejercicio


Despite the short time for each workshop, important results were obtained, which shows the

potential of the methodologies used. In addition, all the methods included in the systemic

design developed could not be applied. In spite of this, the results and the dynamics of the

participants show how a national policy, or an action plan could be designed, in real time,

contexts and real actors of the system (producers, marketers, consumers, governments, etc.).

3. General comments from observations during the workshops

Based on the observations during the workshops and in the discussions related throughout

the week, some key elements expressed by the participants or identified by the facilitator are

presented below:

Participants were involved in the activities and showed interest in the concept of systemic

design. During the activities of the week from several aspects the importance of participatory

processes for both policy design and programs design for the WEEE management was

discussed, as well as for the achievement of cultural changes required in the consumers or

users of equipment (EEE).

It drew attention to the case of Chile, which is engaging in informal recycling driven by the

regulation. Representatives of Chile highlighted that this is a result of several years of dialogue

and negotiation processes between the informal sector and the government, in which

different obstacles could be overcome and key elements are still being learned.

The importance of training was also highlighted throughout the week. Firstly, it is required for

officials of the entities that lead, regulate and control the WEEE management in each country.

Secondly, for recyclers and managers in terms of technical standards for recycling. And thirdly,

the importance of consistently implementing environmental education programs and

awareness campaigns to get consumers to deliver their WEEE to authorized programs was

also highlighted.

ORP or post-consumer programs budgets must include these items (formalization, training,

education and information), in addition to what the very nature of the business implies in

technical activities and infrastructure.

It was important to have the most advanced countries such as Colombia, Peru and Brazil at

the EWAM sharing their experience and motivating the countries that are starting to develop

the WEEE management systems. This showed that it is possible to make an increasingly

sustainable and efficient management of the WEEE.

An important challenge is to engage producers, understood as those who import, assemble

and/or distribute EEE, according to the context; some of the country representatives

manifested that producers have low or no motivation to finance the management, which


makes the implementation of the EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) impossible.

Therefore, most countries are convinced that first there needs to be a regulation, so that the

implementation of an EPR becomes mandatory.

As an external observer of the project, it became clear that RELAC will have a crucial role in

facilitating communication, collaboration and, especially, knowledge management and

training, according to the topics identified during the workshops and the project in general.

Although the overall objective of the workshops serie was to delineate a regional strategy, it

was concluded that it is important that each country first advances both in the design of

regulatory frameworks that support WEEE management, and in the achievement of

cooperation and coordination (multi-sectorial in the public sector, and public-private) needed

to begin implementing facilities and infrastructure. However, I would like to share some

identified regional elements:

1. It Is important to have several strategies that facilitate the sharing of experiences and

learning between countries, such as the yearly EWAMs, and the tools that will be

developed by RELAC this year. Among the tools mentioned by RELAC are the

opportunity to have a WEBSITE, seminars or Webinars, newsletters and an intranet

(Project Component 3). It Is recommended to pay special attention to the information

systems and infrastructure that each country develops as part of the Component 1 to

be articulated from the beginning with what RELAC will develop.

- As considered by RELAC, it is important that the design of tools is made with a high

level of participation by the beneficiary countries of the project, especially in the

definition of requirements and parameters. Activities such as the survey carried out

and reported by Uca Silva on Sunday at the beginning of the regional gathering should

become a constant element and by this generate a dynamic of regional collaboration

from the very beginning of the project.

- An active involvement of universities as a mediator and methodological support is

suggested in each country (Project Component 3), beyond the specific fact of including

the topic in the curricula. A stronger participation of the Academy would facilitate

participatory processes and strengthen the research potential applied to the specific

needs that each context. Especially in the areas of financial models, design of

programs for cultural change, consumer habits surveys, and technological

developments and innovation that can support the recovery and processing of

valuable materials within the WEEE, giving solid bases to urban mining. In addition, a

regionalization would be facilitated through framework agreements between these

institutions in different countries through specific complementary projects derived

from the UNIDO/GEF project.

- It Is suggested that baseline research or current baseline assessment in each country

(Component 2 of the project), are carried out in a participatory way and include more


than “only” information on generated WEEE, EEE placed on the market and flows of

equipment and materials. A diagnosis developed from a systemic approach, or at least

participatory, is an opportunity for:

o involving the actors who should be empowered in each context, which in turn

increases the feasibility of cooperation and coordination required,

o beginning to link territorial actors, which was identified as a critical issue in

most of the participating countries, through taking into account the vision,

needs and obstacles that these actors may find without having a space to

manifest it,

o documenting the processes and learning of legislative development in

countries that already have regulation, laws or policies,

o understanding and collectively building the approach that as a country is

desired,

Finally, based on the information resulting from the three workshops, some identified cross-

cutting issues could be developed with our support, mainly those that demand stakeholder

participation and that are required during the implementation of the plans of the present

year in each country. We would be glad of having the opportunity to support the follow-up of

the possible regional strategy that is consolidated in the following years of the project (from

2020), once the countries have consolidated in their first steps during 2019.

4. References

GSMA TM, UNU-IAS, 2015. eWaste in Latin America. Statistical analysis and policy recommendations

UIT, Convenio de Basilea, CRBAS- Centro Regional Basilea para América del Sur, UNESCO, OMS, ONUDI, OMPI,

CEPAL (2015). Gestión sostenible de residuos de aparatos eléctricos y electrónicos en América Latina.

Relac – Böni H., Silva U., Ott, D. (2011). Reciclaje de residuos electrónicos en América Latina: panorama general,

desafíos y potencial.

Relac, Unesco (2010) Los residuos electrónicos: Un desafío para la sociedad de conocimiento en América Latina

y el Caribe.

Méndez-Fajardo, S., González, R.A. (2014). Actor-Network Theory on Waste Management: a university case

study. IJANTTI, Issue 4 6. doi:10.4018/IJANTTI.

Méndez-Fajardo S. (2016). Systemic decisions for more sustainable WEEE management in developing countries.

Doctoral dissertation. Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.

Méndez-Fajardo S., et. Al. (2017). Guía práctica de diseño sistémico de políticas para la gestión sostenible de

RAEE en países en vía de desarrollo. Proyecto SRI, Suiza.

systemic design of solutions: building a roadmap for a

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