According to a recent report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), many of us are hording unused electronic gizmos. The UNEP wants us to recycle them to make sure the metals they contain are reused – and to promote the shift to a "green economy".
But recycling electronic waste ("e-waste") has proved easier said than done, thanks to the entrenched reluctance of companies to provide take-back schemes for old appliances and the glacial pace of government policymaking.
Finally, there’s some better news to report. Minister for the Environment Nick Smith has announced $1 million from the Waste Minimisation Fund to support e-waste recycling centres. The "e-Cycle" sites are being run by RCN Limited and the Community Recycling Network. The initiative received seed funding of $400,000 in 2010 and sites are operating in 18 centres (see e-Cycle sites).
Take-back schemes
The minister has also announced funding to businesses to run take-back schemes for old cathode ray tube (CRT) TVs. A temporary two-week scheme run in conjunction with The Warehouse ended on 4 October.
Details of how longer-term schemes will work and when they'll start are sketchy. But without the government money, manufacturers and retailers are unlikely to be doing anything much. That's what our mystery shop found.
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