The Waste Minimisation Fund, an entity of the Ministry for the Environment, has today given TechCollect NZ $320,000 to expand its pilot programme aimed at collecting and recycling e-waste and reducing the amount of end-of-life electrical products entering New Zealand's waste stream.
The funding will enable TechCollect to bolster its efforts to provide at least 40 free drop-off sites for e-waste around the country, as well as its goal to collect 200,000 tonnes of such equipment a year, and to recycle 95% of this.
The not-for-profit organisation has so far recycled over 53 tonnes of e-waste, and the funding from the Government announced today will go a long way towards increasing this number in the coming years, says TechCollect NZ senior policy manager Michael Dudley.
“We are delighted to be working with the Ministry for the Environment to tackle rising volumes of e-waste and help New Zealand transition towards a more circular economy,” says Dudley.
“As the demand for new technology increases so does our e-waste footprint, with nearly 100,000 tonnes of e-waste generated in New Zealand each year.
“This new funding will allow us to expand our service and support residents and small businesses across the country to recycle their end-of-life electronics responsibly,” he says.
“We'll also work with the New Zealand Government, community, Māori and business sector to design and recommend an environmentally sound and fit-for-purpose e-waste product stewardship approach in Aotearoa.
Dudley says that in addition to its practical strategy, TechCollect will also carry out extensive research and co-develop a robust regulated national e-waste product stewardship scheme to co-ordinate a managed approach for all e-waste in partnership with local industry and businesses.
“We are fortunate to have the backing of some of the world's leading technology brands such as Apple, Canon, Dell, HP, Microsoft and Toshiba supporting our initiative and spearheading e-waste product stewardship in New Zealand,” says Dudley.
“By offering New Zealanders a free e-waste recycling solution that is convenient, safe and secure, the expanded service will help us to understand what system of shared responsibility will work best in New Zealand, while reducing the harmful impacts that e-waste poses to our environment.
“We invite technology users from across the country to do the right thing and recycle responsibly by using TechCollect NZ,” adds Michael.
HP New Zealand country manager Oliver Hill says, “At the very core of HP's business is the need to create a lasting sustainable impact on the environment and society that our people, partners, and customers operate and live in.
“The launch of TechCollect NZ creates an important platform for the technology industry to come together and work as one. No longer do consumers see their goods as disposable and it's up to us to enable and support a circular economy for electronic goods.