More than 75 waste transfer and recycling sites across Victoria have been upgraded for e-waste collection and storage since the state’s e-waste ban started last year.
The Victorian government has already committed $10.6 million to helping local governments upgrade e-waste collection services through the first round of the e-waste infrastructure support program, according to the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
The e-waste ban began last July, and includes anything with a plug, battery or cord that is at the end of its useful life such as old mobile phones, light bulbs and white goods.
The ban means residents and businesses must now take e-waste to dedicated collection points throughout the state.
As part of the ban on e-waste, the government pledged $16.5 million to improving 123 transfer stations and resource recovery centres across the state.
The remaining upgrades are scheduled for completion over 2020-21.
Once the upgrades are complete, the vast majority of Victorians are expected to have an e-waste drop-off point located within a 30-minute drive of their home.
Why recycle e-waste?
E-waste has become a serious environmental problem, growing three times faster than general waste in Australia, according to Sustainability Victoria.
The amount of e-waste generated in Victoria is predicted to rise from 109,000 tonnes in 2015 to some 256,000 tonnes by 2035.
Tackling this problem is tough because mobile phones, laptops, white goods and other electronics are here to stay, however we can at least try to minimise the damage they have on the environment.
Recycling e-waste prevents old electronic devices from ending up in landfill, and keeps toxic materials like lead and mercury out of the environment.
It also recovers resources from old technology that can be reused in new devices, limiting the amount of new metals and resources that need to be mined and processed.
According to Sustainability Victoria, as much as 90 per cent of a phone, TV and computer can be recycled, including gold, silver, zinc, copper, nickel, tin and other non-renewable materials.
Start recycling e-waste in Victoria
If you want recycle e-waste found around the home, you can find your nearest collection point by contacting your local council or visiting the Sustainability Victoria website.
People living outside of the state can visit the Recycling Near You website for their closest drop off point.
Alternatively, if you want to start an e-waste recycling program at your workplace, Ecocycle provides commercial-scale e-waste recycling services for businesses and larger organisations.
To find out more, give us a call on 1300 32 62 92 or fill out the form below.
