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The management of e-waste (all electronic products and parts), in particular the need for greater reuse and recycling of e-waste, is currently very topical at both a national and state level. There are a number of initiatives being planned and implemented that will impact on the amount of e-waste generated and how it is managed, including:
- Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
- Digital switchover
- Landfill bans in the Waste to Resources Environment Protection Policy
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
The national television and computer recycling scheme is a key part of Australia’s National Waste Policy. The scheme developed will require all manufacturers and importers of televisions and computers to take responsibility for the collection and recycling of the products they sell in Australia. The Australian Government, through the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) is currently developing regulations under the National Product Stewardship Framework for this scheme.
The EPA is supporting the EPHC to ensure that manufacturers and importers of televisions and computers establish an efficient and effective national scheme (or schemes) for collecting and recycling their end-of-life products.
Click here for more information about the development of the scheme.
Digital switchover
The national initiative to switch over from an analogue transmission to a digital-only transmission began on 30 June 2010. This initiative began in regional South Australian locations from 15 December 2010 and will be implemented Australia-wide by the end of 2013.
The digital switchover means that householders will need to purchase a new digital television or a digital set-top-box for their analogue television. Old, unwanted analogue televisions will then become e-waste. Zero Waste SA with funding support from the Australian Government is partnering with the Local Government Association to develop a program to assist collection of unwanted analogue televisions in those areas scheduled for switch over. Click here for more information on the digital switchover scheme. There is also a factsheet about responsible disposal of unwanted televisions or computers.
Landfill bans in W2R EPP
Under the Environment Protection (Waste to Resources) Policy 2010 (W2R EPP), from September 2012 e-waste will be banned from being disposed of to landfill in metropolitan Adelaide. From September 2013 e-waste will be banned in all regional and remote areas of South Australia. These bans will complement the national extended producer responsibility scheme(s) that are currently under development. Click here for the landfill bans timeframe.
While the digital switchover will result in a large amount of unwanted e-waste, the landfill bans and EPR scheme(s) are designed to complement each other and ensure that the e-waste is recycled rather than disposed.
Increasing recycling of e-waste is everyone’s responsibility. Until the EPR schemes are up and running, Zero Waste South Australia (ZWSA) is working with councils to increase the recycling of e-waste. See the ZWSA website for more information.
Last modified: 23/09/2011 11:16 am
