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The Future of E-Waste Recycling in Australia: Embracing Innovative Solutions
The future of e-waste recycling in Australia depends on our ability too embrace innovative solutions and adapt to the evolving landscape of electronic waste. by investing in advanced recycling technologies, supporting policy frameworks that encourage innovation, and raising public awareness of responsible e-waste disposal, we can help create a sustainable future.
‘Built-in obsolescence’ creates 500,000-tonne e-waste problem
Australia produces 500,000 tonnes of e-waste a year but only about half of it is indeed recycled. There are concerns about Microsoft’s decision to end support for its Windows 10 operating system later this year, which could exacerbate the e-waste problem.
E-waste management practices in Australia
Globally, electronic waste (E-waste) has become a major waste stream containing harmful contaminants as well as valuable and rare earth materials.Both developed and developing countries face tremendous challenges in managing it.Australia generates about 500,000 tonnes of e-waste annually, according to the latest available data from the federal government’s national waste report.That means each Australian produces about 20kg of e-waste a year, compared with the global average of 7kg. In 2022, only about half of all e-waste was recycled and just 35 per cent of valuable materials it contains were recovered.
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maribyrnong Council Urges Proper E-Waste Disposal after Fire Incident
Maribyrnong Council is urging residents to dispose of electronic waste (e-waste) at designated drop-off points following a recent incident where a laptop battery in kerbside rubbish collection caused a fire. The incident, which occurred in Melbourne’s inner western municipality of Maribyrnong, highlights the importance of proper e-waste disposal to prevent potential hazards.
!technology advances and older devices become obsolete, it is indeed essential to dispose of them responsibly. By using designated drop-off points, we can reduce the risk of fires and contribute to a cleaner, safer environment.
For more details on e-waste disposal in your area, visit the maribyrnong Council website.
Stay informed and stay safe!Microsoft Australia is encouraging users who cannot upgrade thier computers to Windows 11 to the devices through its free mail-back service (if they are Microsoft-branded products) or through other providers.
Ross Thompson is bracing himself for a flood of old PCs and laptops at his facilities.
“There are some reports that suggest that in Australia alone,there are more than 6 million assets that will be needing to transfer from Windows 10 to Windows 11 before the deadline of October.”
“That could equate to 12 million kilograms of PCs and assets going into landfill.”
### Many devices left out of industry recycling scheme
Australia has a mandatory industry-funded scheme for recycling e-waste called the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS), which as the name suggests covers tvs and computer and product accessories.
The NTCRS reports the scheme collects and recycles around 70,000 tonnes of e-waste per year.
But the peak body for recyclers, the Electronic Product Stewardship Australia (EPSA), has raised concerns that many devices will be left out of the recycling scheme.EPSA CEO Carmel Dollison said:
“The NTCRS is a great start, but it only covers a fraction of the e-waste generated in Australia. We need a more comprehensive approach to ensure that all electronic devices are recycled responsibly.”
The concern is that many older devices, which cannot be upgraded to Windows 11, will end up in landfill, contributing to the growing problem of e-waste.The EPSA is calling for a more inclusive recycling scheme that covers all electronic devices, nonetheless of their age or condition.A single data center contains hundreds of tonnes of electronic components that are replaced every few years. (supplied: google)
In a statement, a spokesperson from the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water said the Australian government was working with states, territories and industry to ensure solar panels and other e-waste were diverted from landfill, for reuse or recycling.The spokesperson also pointed to a meeting of Australian environment ministers in December which noted the need for urgent reforms to product stewardship arrangements for batteries.
ms toumbourou welcomes those commitments but says it must be backed up by legislation and tough regulation.
“The lives of the workers in both the waste and recycling sectors are at risk from the presence of batteries and consumer electronics in conventional bins.
“These things catch fire, they release toxic gasses, they put the lives of our workers at risk, and they put major waste and recycling infrastructure at risk.”
The spokesperson also pointed to a meeting of Australian environment ministers in December which noted the need for urgent reforms to product stewardship arrangements for batteries.
Ms Toumbourou welcomes those commitments but says it must be backed up by legislation and tough regulation.
“The lives of the workers in both the waste and recycling sectors are at risk from the presence of batteries and consumer electronics in conventional bins.
“These things catch fire, they release toxic gasses, they put the lives of our workers at risk, and they put major waste and recycling infrastructure at risk.”
“It is indeed incredibly urgent and we need to act before actually loose a life in Australia due to this unmanaged issue, unregulated issue.”
There are also calls for Australia to broaden its Right to Repair laws which currently only apply to cars, vans and utes.It seems like you’ve pasted a mix of HTML and plain text content. Here’s a cleaned-up version of the text content without the HTML tags:
Green Collect co-founder Darren Andrews says some electronic brands make it hard to repair items for reuse.
Melbourne social enterprise Green Collect collects e-waste disposed of by households at council drop-off points.
in 2024, it collected 17.5 tonnes of electrical items,with 50 per cent of those going on to be reused.It’s a statistic that frustrates co-founder Darren Andrews, who says consumers should have a right to repair electronic devices.
“There is almost a built-in obsolescence,” he laments.”Within a circular economy, things need to be designed so much better around its repairability, that components are able to be replaced, et cetera. Some brands have actually made it very tough to repair and replace parts, and that’s a key component for longevity and making sure those resources stay in circulation.”
Greenbox CEO Ross Thompson says getting on top of the global e-waste problem makes economic and environmental sense if Australia is to meet its goal of net zero emissions by 2050.
“You actually reduce your impact on the environment by using a refurbished asset by up to 90 per cent from a carbon emission perspective,” Mr Thompson explains. “From a water usage perspective, to manufacture one iPhone, to put into perspective, uses between 12,000 and 15,000 litres of water.You reduce that by 99 per cent if you give the asset another lease of life,” he says.
he believes e-waste is a problem that could be solved.
“There’s a lot that has happened from an Australian perspective that is considered best practice, but we could always do more because this e-waste problem is not going to be going away anytime soon.”
