Australia has a pretty poor record when it comes to recycling computers.
Only about 10% get recycled, (and only about 1% of TVs), which adds up to a lot of electronic waste (e-waste) going to landfill.
It defies common sense.
At the point in the product life cycle when it is easiest and cheapest to recover the maximum value from waste, computers get mixed in with all sorts of other stuff and dumped in a hole in the ground.
The big problem then is that toxic-heavy metals, including lead and mercury, can leach into ground water and pollute the wider environment.
How To Stop It
While stronger laws against the dumping of computers are needed, effective recycling solutions and programs already exist.
In fact, there is no reason why any computer or television in Australia should end up in landfill.
- By working together, here’s how to make 100% computer recycling a reality:For households and small businesses with one or a few computers to dispose of, most councils accept non-commercial quantities of computers for recycling at no cost. Just take your old computers to your local council waste and recycling depots. Recycal and CMA Ecocycle provides computer recycling services for many local councils, so you can be assured that they are properly and safely recycled
- Alternatively, many manufacturers take back their own brands of computers and other electronic items for recycling. Apple Australia is just one example, with the mercury-containing components of their old computers coming to our sister company CMA Ecocycle for recycling. Apple regularly audits their recycling operations, so consumers are assured that the products are recycled to the highest standards
- Many councils support schools in their computer recycling activities
- Larger businesses, government departments and other organisations work directly with Recycal and CMA Ecocycle in developing tailored, cost-effective computer recycling solutions. We take care of all the logistics, making it a simple matter for large organisations to achieve a 100% rate for computer recycling.
RELATED: How We Can Stop Australia’s E-Waste Problem From Getting Worse
Let’s tackle e-waste together
E-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams. It is also an increasingly important source of raw materials for the manufacture of the next generation of electronic wizardry.
Whether it’s preventing pollution, saving energy or recovering valuable materials, it’s critical that we lift our woeful performance on computer and TV recycling.
So, either plug into council or retail schemes or, to turn your large quantities of e-waste back into new products, get in touch with Recycal or CMA Ecocycle.
