AUSSIES LAG ON E-WASTE RECYCLING

AUSTRALIAN households and businesses are not recycling their old computers, tablets, televisions and printers because they fear losing data or they think it will cost too much.

Not-for-profit national electronic waste recycler TechCollect says too many households and businesses are holding on to or not properly disposing of redundant electronic devices to the environment’s detriment.

If the e-waste were recycled, the recovered materials could be used in new goods, thereby saving resources and cutting down on landfill.

TechCollect chief executive Carmel Dollisson said Australians were good at recycling paper, cardboard and old printing cartridges but could improve on recycling e-waste.

“We all have a shared responsibility for the products that we consume,” Ms Dollisson said.

“You wouldn’t finish with your car and leave it on the street.”

TechCollect’s recent survey of 1000 respondents in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth shows that 43 per cent are keeping old electronic devices in case they need them again.

One in five respondents admit to being device hoarders.

Only 33 per cent have taken e-waste to a designated drop-off site, and one in four have thrown their e-waste into a bin, which is likely to end up as landfill.

Respondents cited the loss of personal data, lack of knowledge, data security and cost as key barriers to recycling.

Improperly disposed-of e-waste can contain mercury and other heavy metals that can poison groundwater.

But more than 95 per cent of the materials in e-waste are recoverable, including plastics and circuit boards, which can be sold to industry to be reused in the manufacture of new goods. Ms Dollisson said 100,000 tonnes of new electronic devices were imported into Australia each year.

The Federal Government’s target for recycling old computers and televisions in 2016/17 was 58 per cent of the imported tonnage, and the aim is to recycle 62 per cent in 2017/18.

Although the results are not in yet, Ms Dollisson believes the target for 2016/17 is close to being met.

She said TechCollect was funded by manufacturers of electronic goods and its recycling service was free.

Most manufacturers have information on their websites on how to reset devices or wipe data, there are services that can wipe data for you, and there is software that can assist in wiping data.