From Monday 1 July, Victorian residents and businesses will no longer be able to dispose of e-waste items in their kerbside waste or recycling bins. E-waste must be taken to a designated collection point for recycling.
With a month to go until the implementation of the e-waste ban, the state’s waste industry and government representatives met for a full day workshop in May to plan for the uncertain times ahead.
Hosted by the Victorian Waste Management Association, ANZRP sponsored the event which was attended by Sustainability Victoria, EPA Victoria and a host of local council representatives and waste service providers keen to know more about the ban.
Policy impact assessments from the Victorian Government in the lead up to the implementation of the policy estimated that in 2016, e-waste that went to landfill amounted to 53,000 tonnes throughout the state.
The total amount of e-waste generated in Victoria is projected to increase from 109,000 tonnes in 2015 to approximately 256,000 tonnes in 2035.
Considering this, it’s unsurprising that all parties were in agreeance that action needs to be taken. The questions that arose were around how the ban would be successfully implemented and what was implicated for councils and waste management organisations.
Sustainability Victoria emphasised the need for public education about e-waste and the incoming ban, while EPA Victoria reinforced the need to comply with the AS/NSZ 5377 standard for collection, storage, transport and treatment of end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment.
Councils are still seeking more information to determine how the ban will impact them.
As the major producer responsibility organisation operating under the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme, Warren Overton spoke about the current challenges faced by the e-waste industry and the ways in which ANZRP is adapting.
In response to market pressure resulting from the e-waste ban, ANZRP has extended an offer to our existing Collection Partners in Victoria to expand our collection service to include material outside NTCRS scope.
ANZRP recognises this is vital to retaining our Victorian Collection Partners, who now face increased pressure to divert all types of e-waste from landfill.
Providing a complete and seamless solution will be crucial for securing these sites and fulfilling our NTCRS volume targets.
ANZRP welcomes the ban and will work hard with existing and new Collection Partners to endeavour to reduce the amount of e-waste destined for landfill in the state.