National reboot of e-waste management would turbo charge the economy and environmental progress

The Australian New Zealand Recycling Platform (ANZRP) has recently released a report calling for an expansion of the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme to keep valuable materials in circulation.

ANZRP have released a new report that reveals the significant nationwide benefits generated from an expansion of the National Television and Computer
Recycling Scheme (NTCRS) to include all e-waste electronic and electrical equipment (EEE).

The independent report by the non-profit organisation follows the review of the Product Stewardship Act 2011 (‘the Act’) by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, which provided 26 recommendations on the overall effectiveness of the Act, the product stewardship initiatives and the feasibility of expanding the NTCRS.

The launch of the report coincided with International E-Waste Day (14th October), an annual day in its third year that raises awareness for e-waste recycling and encourages consumers to recycle their ewaste responsibly.

With Australia generating an estimated 554,000 tonnes of EEE each year, the report shows the economic, social and environmental benefits that a scope expansion would generate, and outlines the need for a holistic approach to product stewardship, for Australia to effectively tackle its growing waste issue.

Warren Overton, CEO, ANZRP, says, “As the demand for new technology increases so does our ewaste footprint, which highlights the widespread need for government and industry to work collaboratively to develop policies that specifically address recycling and reuse. Currently valuable materials that otherwise could be in market are ending up in landfill, which is why we are calling for all waste electronic and electrical equipment to be included in the NTCRS.

“This report shows that the country’s waste crisis is a unique opportunity that has substantial benefits to the economy, job sector and our environment.

“Conserving precious raw materials and keeping EEE out of the waste stream, will allow Australia to become less reliant on natural resources and international supply chains, making our economy more resilient and resource rich.

“We’re immensely proud of the results generated through our recycling programs, yet this is just the tip of the iceberg. These benefits would substantially increase if the NTCRS expanded its scope to include all EEE waste, which would present a bright future for Australia,” concludes Warren.

Through ANZRP’s TechCollect recycling program, the organisation recycled 22,014 tonnes of NTCRS regulated e-waste in 2018-2019 through its national e-waste drop-off sites. This prevented 26,165 tonnes of CO2e from entering the atmosphere – the equivalent of planting almost 400,000 trees.

The full report can be downloaded here. For more information about ANZRP and its services, please visit: https://techcollect.com.au

ANZRP are a sponsor of the AWRE Online Event, running from 25-26 November 2020. Join Warren and other industry professionals at their session ‘E-Waste – Expanding the NTCRS’ on Thursday 26 November, as they discuss the benefits of an expanded scheme more in depth. Check out the full program and don’t miss out. Register online free here.