Home for old e-waste

OfficeMax is on a crusade to curb the amount of technology waste choking the environment.

It has partnered with the Australia and New Zealand Recycling Platform (ANZRP) to launch a free e-waste collection and recycling programme called TechCollect.

The pilot programme aims to divert thousands of kilograms of e-waste from landfill by offering drop-off recycle points at OfficeMax’s 16 retail locations throughout New Zealand.

New Zealanders are among the world’s worst e-waste offenders, producing an estimated 20kg per person each year, according to the International Telecommunications Union.

ANZRP chief executive Warren Overton says it’s estimated that up to 50,000kg of e-waste could potentially be recycled that would otherwise be dumped.

Customers can bring unwanted equipment including printers, computers, tablets and computer peripherals — old keyboards, mice, hard drives, cables, power supplies — cameras and video cameras into OfficeMax stores but ensure all sensitive data is removed from devices before dropping off.

Croxley Recycling — New Zealand’s only Environmental Choice licensed e-waste recycler — will collect and process the e-waste from the OfficeMax stores ensuring regulatory requirements are met.

Croxley currently processes more than 200 tonnes of recyclable material each year, including non-biodegradable plastics and is the only recycler to offer a secure pathway to repurpose electrical waste products.

Metal and circuit boards are separated for recycling, while plastic is sent to local manufacturers to be used in items and materials such as electric fence insulators.

■ For more information on OfficeMax and TechCollect, visit officemax.co.nz or techcollect.nz