e-waste looms as fastest growing heap
By Adam Coleman
Australians are facing a major electronic waste (e-waste) problem, despite recycling nearly half of all their waste, according to the national Environmental Issues and Trends snapshot, released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
With Australians among the highest users of new technology in the world, e-waste is emerging as one of the fastest growing problems.
e-waste incorporates end-of-life electronic or electrical products, which can contain hazardous materials and toxic substances such as the presence of lead in cathode ray tubes from televisions. The presence of these toxic materials demands that they be safely recovered, processed and recycled.
The ABS estimates that e-waste in Australia is growing at more than three times the rate of general municipal waste (household waste and other council waste such as park and street bins).
Product Stewardship Australia (PSA) is a non-profit, industry-led organisation that is developing a nationally consistent scheme to help recover and recycle electronic and electrical products in an environmentally sound manner.
According to PSA executive officer, John Gertsakis, the need for effective and enforceable government regulations to ensure the importers and brand owners of TVs and IT equipment take on their recycling responsibilities is essential.
“We need the right national environment protection measure,” Mr Gertsakis told governmentnews.com.au.
Mr Gertsakis says that regulations should be put in place that deal with ‘free riders’ or “companies that aren’t offering some sort of collection and recycling service, whether its through an organisation like the PSA or independently”.
Mr Gertsakis says that while there is an urgent need for legislation having the correct framework is very important.
“We don’t want quick legislation for the sake of having legislation. We want something that is well developed and has been carefully thought through. From our perspective we are very interested in how enforcement will be managed and how suppliers will be monitored and audited,” he says.
Figures from Ecorecycle Victoria reveal that every year, Australians buy more than 2.4 million personal computers (PCs) and more than one million televisions and the stockpiles are continuing to grow.
The snapshot revealed that the total amount of waste Australians generated increased from 22.7 million tonnes in 1996-97 to 32.4 million tonnes in 2002-03, of which just more than one-quarter was municipal waste.
See the December/January 2007 edition of GovernmentNews magazine for analysis on how e-waste is straining local council resources and the call for 'producer pays' e-waste recycling.
[Mon 13/11/2006 02:03:15]
|
|
BREAKING NEWS
HOT PRODUCTS
 |
HP Color LaserJet CP1518ni Printer
Win! A strategic marketing workshop for your business, valued at up to $3,500** from Nine Dots Marketing, the leading marketing skill development centre for businesses. THERE ARE 8 PACKS TO BE WON. Download your BONUS starter kit now. For full terms and c
more» |
Click here to
view more Hot Products
Looking for a particular product?
Advanced Search.
|
