Electronic waste, or e-waste, is the world's fastest growing waste stream, with the potential to overwhelm landfills and the environment. E-waste includes computers, printers, scanners, games consoles that have computer componentry in them, and mobile phones.
The lead, mercury, cadmium and the PVCs (polyvinyl chloride) found in electronic waste are considered highly toxic both to human health and the environment.
In New Zealand, fears over the mounting volume of e-waste and its toxic effects on the environment led to a government decision to initiate a co-ordinated programme highlighting the scale and dangers of disposing electronic waste indiscrimately.
This weekend, for the second year, thirty-two centres from Kaitaia to Invercargill will have drive-through facilities to allow people to dispose of their e-waste free of charge.
E-day plans to divert 1000 tons of e-waste away from landfills across the country.
Janet Legget, Hamilton e-day co-ordinator, says that the free disposal service is for householders and community groups only—not businesses. The free service would discourage groups from being 'tempted to go and drop it in a landfill', she said.
A special collection has already been held for schools.
There are huge volumes of redundants and end-of-life computers, monitors and harddrives that still have life in them, she says, but people are upgrading.
Ms Legget believes that a small computer monitor screen contains about two kilos of lead.
“There are heavy metals in the wiring and in the componetry-there is lots of recyclable plastic in the casing but there is also the plastic that has got the toxic stuff that leaches when it is in the landfill.”
Most of the collection of e-waste is being shipped to South Korea for recycling. Working computer monitors will be recycled in Auckland
“Nobody is making any money out of it nationally or locally,” Ms Legget said. “We have to cover the cost of of every event and the cost of getting it to the port.”
E-day organisers say that the collected electronic waste will be recycled by qualified recyclers operating under international standards that guarantee safe working conditions.
Recyclers advise that ninety-five per cent of the materials in a computer can be recycled.
Partners in e-day include CANZ (computer manufacturers, IT Industries, computer retailers, community trusts, local authorities and the government.
“E-day is helping to plug the gap and buy New Zealand a little more time without generating new problems in our landfills,” says Laurence Zwimpfer, national organiser of e-day. Industry-sponsored recycling schemes should be up and running within two or three years, he said.
Note: Huge quantities of electronic waste (from U.S. And other countries) are shipped to countries such as China, India, Pakistan, Ghana and Nigeria, where the cost of recycling and disposal is cheap because of lax environmental, work and health regulations.
