[LINK] E-Waste

[stephen at melbpc.org.au]

RC writes,

> I'd love a decent e-waste scheme ... 

Agreed though this local council seems to do ok .. although normal tip
fees here are relatively expensive, ($30 / small box-trailer), e-waste
(any/all things electronic), is free to dispose of if you get it there. 

However:

Lack of awareness about e-waste recycling in Australia
December 1, 2009  http://www.ewaste.com.au

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics almost every Australian 
household (99%) participated in some form of recycling or reusing of 
(normal) waste in the 12 months prior to March 2009, a very positive 
statistic and one that has been gradually rising for the last decade.  

With the help of our local councils we have learnt how to recycle, the 
2009 ABS report on waste management states that 95% of households 
recycled or reused their paper / cardboard / newspapers, 94% recycled 
plastic bottles, 93% recycled glass and 90% recycled plastic bags. 

Unfortunately what we haven’t yet learnt or in many cases are simply 
unaware of is the importance of recycling electronic equipment. 

The ABS report stated that nearly a quarter (23%) of electronic equipment 
and more than half (51%) of household appliances disposed of in the 12 
months to March 2009 were placed with the non-recycled garbage for 
kerbside collection.

According to the Environment, Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC), 
Australians discarded 16.8 million electronic devices in 2007/8. Only 9 
per cent of this was recycled while 88 per cent, or 14.7 million devices, 
were sent to landfill. The remainder was exported.

And so: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JZey9GJQP0

--

Cheers
Stephen