Electronic waste in New Zealand

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Bin full of E Waste taken at Computer Recycling Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand (2019)
An electronic waste stockpile in Christchurch (2004).

Electronic waste in New Zealand is an environmental issue being addressed by community and government initiatives.

E-waste is the fastest-growing toxic waste stream in New Zealand. Every year, as of 2017, New Zealand generates approximately 99,000 tonnes (20.1 kg per capita) of electronic waste, of which 97,000 tonnes is disposed of in landfills. New Zealand produces among the highest volumes of e-waste in the world while having among the lowest documented recycling rates. It is estimated that by 2030, New Zealand will generate 28.7kg of e-waste per capita without recycling or 27.1kg with recycling initiatives.

In the past, there have been two Government-funded takeback initiatives: the e-Day collections, and the TV takeback campaign. E-waste recycling services provided by local government vary by council with some providing free recycling services,[1] while other councils provide user pays services or rely on the private sector.[2]

New Zealand is the only country in the OECD without a national e-waste scheme.[3] While New Zealand has AS/NZS standards for e-waste recycling practices, these are not mandatory. Government led e-waste recycling initiatives have been historically hampered by a lack of data.[4] In 2020, e-waste was designated as a priority waste stream requiring mandatory product stewardship.

Background

In 2006 there were an estimated 3.4 million televisions, 3.3 million mobile phones, 1.9 million computers and monitors, and 600,000 laptops.[5] In 2017 the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) noted that New Zealand and Australia produced the highest volumes of e-waste per capita in the world while having amongst the lowest documented rates of recycling.[6] A report produced for the Ministry for the Environment, estimated that New Zealand will generate 28.7 kg of e-waste per capita by 2030 without recycling and 27.1kg with recycling.[7]

A 2006 survey showed that two-thirds of respondents were willing to pay for safe disposal of electronic waste such as televisions and computers. The remainder were unwilling to pay anything or were unsure. The survey also showed that 85% were willing to take items to a neighbourhood collection point.[8] A case study of 249 Whangarei households conducted in 2018, found that participants were split on who to blame for the electronic waste problem. A slightly larger proportion of households surveyed believed that consumers are not to blame. 57 percent of respondents rated the current national approach to e-waste as poor or very bad.[2]

Takeback initiatives

Electronic waste being collected during eDay in Dunedin, 2008

eDay

Main article: eDay

eDay was a nationwide collection programme for electronic waste which ran from 2006 to 2010 in up to 53 different locations.[9] An estimated total of 3200 tonnes of electronic waste were collected and recycled. The 1000 tonnes collected in 2008 equates to approximately 10% of electrical and electronic devices imported in a year and less than 5% of historic electronic waste.[10] The event did not run in 2011 or any subsequent year, because the government ceased to provide funding.[11]

CR E-Days

As of 2020 E-waste recycler Computer Recycling Ltd facilitates 'CR E-Days' hosted at different community locations in Auckland throughout each year.[12] These are drive-thru electronic waste recycling events, allowing visitors to unload and recycling old, unwanted or broken tech or electronic equipment. Due to Community participation in CR E-Days, Computer Recycling has able to collect and divert over 300,000 kilos of discarded electronic waste otherwise destined for landfill.

Legislation

International conventions

New Zealand signed the Basel Convention in 1989 and ratified it in 1994.[13] The Basel Convention is an international treaty to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations, and specifically to prevent transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries. Electronic waste can be of a type defined under the convention.

It was not until 2006 that the first application was made for export of hazardous waste under the Basel Convention.[14]

Domestic regulations

The main legislation which regulates e-waste is the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 which enables the provision of voluntary and mandatory product stewardship programmes and introduced levies on waste sent to landfills. Product stewardship programmes are developed jointly by industry and government and place the responsibility for managing the life cycle of a product with the manufacturer, importer, retailer and user of the product. These programmes aim to shift the environmental costs of waste arising from the products from the taxpayer and consumer primarily to the producer such that the end of life of a product is considered in the producer's design and business decisions.[15]

A 2015 report commissioned by the Ministry for the Environment, found that there was insufficient data about the e-waste stream to satisfy the requirements of the Waste Minimisation Act for priority product designation. The act requires the Minister for the environment to be confident that waste stream causes "significant environmental harm" or that there are benefits from recycling the waste stream.[7] The majority of stakeholders consulted on behalf of the Ministry for the Environment supported priority product designation for all e-waste in the European Union categories except automatic dispensers. Support was more marginal for toys, leisure, sports and medical equipment.[7]

Despite no mandatory product stewardship, it was possible to be accredited for a voluntary stewardship programme. SHARP, RE:MOBILE and Fuji Xerox are among the organisations accredited for the voluntary programme.[16]

In June 2020, Associate Minister for the Environment Eugenie Sage announced that electronic waste would be one of the six new products to be classified as a priority product.[17]

Government & Private Industry initiatives

In 2010, $400,000 was allocated towards setting up collection depots and recycling centres around New Zealand.[18]

In 2021, Computer Recycling Ltd brought the first-of-its-kind BLUBOX e-waste technology to Aotearoa.[19] The machine is one of eight in the world and was switched on for the first time at Computer Recycling in Penrose on April 21st with the help of the Hon. David Parker, Minister for the Environment. The technology shreds and sorts e-waste in an enclosed negative pressure system, recovering up to 90 percent of components. The BLUBOX project was supported by the Ministry for the Environment, who provided $1.5million towards the project in the form of a grant from The Waste Minimisation Fund - Te Pūtea Whakamauru Para.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Buller District Council, New Zealand » E-waste collection". Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  2. ^ a b Blake, Vicktoria; Farrelly, Trisia; Hannon, Jonathon (2019). "Is Voluntary Product Stewardship for E-Waste Working in New Zealand? A Whangarei Case Study". Sustainability. 11 (11): 3063. doi:10.3390/su11113063.
  3. ^ Donovan, Emile (2020-02-16). "The Detail: New Zealand's e-waste problem". Stuff. Retrieved 2022-10-24.
  4. ^ Blake, Victoria (2018). The e-waste management behaviours of household consumers in Whangarei, New Zealand (PDF) (Master). Massey University.
  5. ^ Electrical and Electronic Equipment Survey January 2006: A Quantitative Report. ME765. Ministry for the Environment. June 2006. ISBN 0-478-30100-6.
  6. ^ "UN-backed body 'right' to single out New Zealand as an e-waste laggard". 14 December 2017.
  7. ^ a b c E-waste Product Stewardship Framework for New Zealand (PDF) (Report). 26 June 2015. {{cite report}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |authors= (help)
  8. ^ Electrical and Electronic Equipment Disposal Survey April 2006: A Quantitative Report. ME764. Ministry for the Environment. April 2006. ISBN 0-478-25999-9.
  9. ^ "Tonnes of eDay waste in storage". Stuff. 2011-01-03. Retrieved 2021-10-21.
  10. ^ Hoeveler, Jennifer-Ann (1 January 2009). "International Approaches to dealing with electronic waste". New Zealand Journal of Environmental Law. 13: 117–160 – via HeinOnline.
  11. ^ http://www.eday.org.nz/template/media_questions__answers.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  12. ^ "Where to drop off e-waste in Auckland suburbs". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2022-05-31.
  13. ^ "Importing or Exporting Waste in New Zealand (Basel Convention): Requirements" (PDF). Ministry of Economic Development. November 2004. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
  14. ^ Beston, Anne (12 August 2006). "'Toxic time bombs' ticking away". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 11 October 2010.
  15. ^ "2 Product Stewardship". Ministry for the Environment. 2005-07-01. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  16. ^ "Government-accredited schemes". SBN product stewardship. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  17. ^ "Government to regulate environmentally harmful plastic packaging, tyres, e-waste". The Beehive. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  18. ^ Beehive (6 October 2010). "Govt steps up e-waste recycling". NZ Government. Retrieved 10 October 2010.
  19. ^ "Computer Recycling unveils new machine to deal with NZ's huge e-waste problem". RNZ. 2022-04-21. Retrieved 2022-06-02.

External links

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