E-Waste Recycling Project
E-Waste is the term used for computer equipment that is unwanted, and has no resale value or market. Types of e-waste collected through the NetWaste project include towers (i.e. white boxes), monitors, printers/scanners, mice, key boards and laptops.
Not only does e-waste take up valuable space in landfill sites, computer monitors typically consist of CRT (cathode ray tube) glass, which is made of lead. When disposed to landfill, lead can leach from the crushed glass and contaminate groundwater. CRTs can comprise of the largest proportion (by weight) of lead entering the solid waste stream. A normal 10kg monitor contains 1.25kg of lead, and when in large numbers these monitors can be seen as hazardous waste.
NetWaste undertook a trial project in 2007 in partnership with SIMS Metal, with six (6) member Councils participating. Material collected through this was to be delivered to the e-waste recycling facility in Sydney, where the items are dismantled, segregated into different products such as plastics and metals, with CRT lamps from computer monitors sent to Holland for recycling.
The community response to this project was very strong, with 15.5 tonnes of material collected through the trial project. Computer monitors were the most common items collected, making up approximately 40 % of the total material.
Following on from the success of the trial, in 2008 NetWaste again partnered with SIMS to offer an e-waste collection program in 17 NetWaste Councils, with Councils as far west as Bourke participating.
In total, approximately 22 tonnes of e-waste was collected by the Councils through this program, removing these items from landfill.
From these projects it is obvious there is strong support for e-waste collection throughout the central west, however as with many items such as e-waste, there is a significant cost associated with recycling.
Bathurst Regional Council, in partnership with NetWaste and Sims E-Recycling are conducting a trial project in 2009, which will allow collection of e-waste material on an ongoing basis, with the material recycled at the recently opened automated Sims E-Recycling facility in Sydney. NetWaste will be closely monitoring this project, which will be used to gain an insight into the types and volumes of e-waste which exist in the community that require disposal. This trial will be an important source of information for other NetWaste Councils in determining the need for an e-waste collection service.
For further information on this project, please contact:
Kristy Cosier
NetWaste Projects Co-ordinator
Ph 02 6393 8770
E kcosier.netwaste@bigpond.com
