ANZRP to build world’s first commercial e-waste plastic micro-factory
ANZRP is excited to announce its plans to build the world’s first commercial e-waste plastic micro-factory after receiving a $250,000 grant from Sustainability Victoria.
In partnership with UNSW SMaRT Centre and e-recycler TES, the micro-factory will process up to 500,000 kilograms of waste plastic per year. This will be recovered from e-waste recycling and reformed into 3D printer filament for retail sale. Worldwide demand for plastic 3D printer filament is estimated to triple during the next four years, reaching a value of more than USD$1,965.30 million by 2023[1].
With the upcoming e-waste ban in Victoria and growing restrictions on exports of mixed e-waste plastic, options to reduce the cost of recycling and keep these materials out of landfill are important. This project aims to reform a waste stream (e-waste plastic) that’s currently shipped overseas for processing.
“The e-waste plastic micro-factory is a truly circular economy approach that ensures materials are kept in productive use,” says ANZRP CEO, Warren Overton.
“We’re so pleased to be supporting Australian innovation from UNSW and TES that helps improve e-waste recycling.
“As the volume of e-waste continues to increase, technologically advanced approaches such as micro-factories will play a key role mitigating the impact of old televisions and computers.
“By working alongside industry and internationally recognised research hubs, ANZRP is committed to ensuring all e-waste is managed responsibly. This reduces environmental impact and creates employment.”
Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate, Lily D’Ambrosio says, “These grants will help develop a circular economy that maximises the reuse of materials and reduces the amount of waste that goes to landfill. These exciting projects across Victoria will stop waste, boost the resource recovery industry and create jobs.”
With construction due to start early next year, the micro-factory will be housed at the TES e-waste recycling facility in Somerton, Victoria. This portable factory has the potential to be moved and process recovered e-waste plastic in other areas.
“The micro-factory has the potential to scale and accommodate the 6,000-tonne plastic feedstock that is currently produced each year from the e-waste recycled through the TechCollect program. We have taken the first step with a scalable solution that has guaranteed feedstock, strong environmental benefits, as well as economic benefits through the creation of employment opportunities in regional and metropolitan parts of Australia,” concludes Warren Overton.
[1] 3D Printing Plastics Market by Type (Photo polymer, ABS, Poly amide, PLA), Form (Filament, Liquid/Ink, Powder), End-Use Industry (Healthcare, Aerospace & Defense, Automotive, Electrical & Electronics), Application, and Region - Global Forecast to 2023, MarketsandMarkets
A recipe for a successful national e-waste recycling program
As New Zealand considers the benefits of product stewardship and its impact on e-waste recycling, ANZRP CEO Warren Overton sets out the critical elements for a successful national e-waste recycling program based on the Australian experience.
Last month we launched our TechCollect pilot e-waste recycling program just across the ditch in New Zealand.
Operating through the OfficeMax retail network, TechCollect provides 16 drop-off points across New Zealand where people can take their unwanted e-waste for recycling completely free of charge.
Already we've had an astounding level of interest, with hundreds of visits to our new website and enquiries rolling in by the dozen. This is indicative of the New Zealand public's appetite for responsible and accessible e-waste recycling, a void that has to this point not been filled. Unlike its Australian and overseas counterparts, the country has struggled to better manage the increasing volume of e-waste generated annually - a recent report from the International Telecommunications Union shows kiwis are among the world's worst offenders, producing an estimated 20kg per person per year.
Product stewardship is key
Australia's approach to managing the growing issue of e-waste is founded on the notion of product stewardship. This concept acknowledges that those involved in producing, selling and using products have a shared responsibility to ensure that those products or materials are managed in a way that reduces their impact, throughout their life cycle, on the environment and on human health and safety.
A key pillar of Australia's National Waste Policy is the Product Stewardship Act 2011. Established under the Act, the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS) was Australia’s first producer responsibility arrangement. Under the scheme, more than 1,800 collection services have been made available to the public and 230,000 tonnes of TV and computer e-waste collected and recycled. 130,000 tonnes of that has been managed by ANZRP's flagship program TechCollect.
In recent years, the New Zealand Government has twice investigated e-waste product stewardship and on both occasions was unable to establish a long term industry funded program.
Technology industry ready to participate
Despite New Zealand's lack of regulatory enforcement, major players in the electronics industry have just committed to funding our TechCollect pilot e-waste recycling program. Microsoft, Toshiba, HP, Epson, Dell and Canon have all pledged funds to the pilot, which has been a major driver in getting the program off the ground.
The quick commitment from these world-leading organisations shows their eagerness to uphold their corporate social responsibility status, and position themselves as leaders on this issue. They understand the importance of environmental and social sustainability to their brand and are ready with their cheque book to support initiatives that shine a light on their commitment.
Key elements of a successful e-waste recycling program
Fundamental to a thriving e-waste recycling program is a model where industry covers costs of collection and recycling. The ideal approach is through a liability-based fee in a competitive environment that encourages cost competition.
Other critical factors include:
Government funding — Sufficient government funding for e-waste product stewardship is required to ensure effective program management, audit and enforcement of requirements, and promotion of the program to the whole community. Underfunding allows liable parties to avoid compliance and diminishes community engagement with the program.
Competition — Competition is good for logistics and recycling yet is counterproductive for collection as it can create duplication and inefficiencies. Due to the small size of the New Zealand market, the number of organisations engaged to deliver an e-waste product stewardship program should be limited to reduce administrative costs.
Scope — To gain the benefits of scale, for both logistics and processing, as wide a scope as possible is recommended for an e-waste product stewardship program. Under Australia’s NTCRS, only televisions, computers, printers and computer peripherals are accepted. Even though this created a pool of easily identifiable parties, making it easier to manage, inclusion of all waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) would increase the amount of liable parties and exponentially increase the volume targets, guaranteeing greater economies of scale.
Collection network — Vital to its success, a collection network must include a broad spectrum of partners, including local councils, retail providers (such as electrical goods retailers) and private recycling owner-operated sites and community facilities. Aside from maintaining the reach of the service, they also serve an important role helping educate the public through their regular interactions.
Education — It’s important for people to understand the process of recycling e-waste and where they can responsibly dispose of it, knowing that it will be managed to the highest standards in accordance with the regulatory and legislative requirements. To achieve this, a simple and consistent approach is necessary — only government can fill this requirement. After seven years, the Australian public still does not have a strong understanding of e-waste and what can be done. Government needs to take the lead and project clear and consistent messaging.
Recycling partners – Competition is good and should not be limited to a few. Strict standards need to be enforced, ensuring downstream vendor due diligence and material traceability is achieved. All recyclers who serve the program are required to meet certain standards such as compliance to AS/NZS 5377:2013 and HSE legislation, and are regularly audited to ensure reporting volumes are correct.
Now entering its seventh year and despite some issues that need to be ironed out, Australia's NTCRS has been acknowledged as a resounding success. Product stewardship underpinned by accessibility, collaboration, transparency and trust — these are the critical elements that form a successful e-waste recycling program.
ANZRP would welcome the New Zealand Government’s participation into our pilot program, and the prospect of matching program funding to help lengthen and facilitate its ongoing success.
To find out more about our TechCollect pilot in New Zealand go to www.techcollect.nz.
ANZRP meets all FY 16/17 Regulatory targets
ANZRP’s FY 16/17 Annual Report is now published on both the Federal Government and our websites. You can view it here.
We are proud to announce that we have met both Regulatory targets of the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS) – Recycling and Reasonable Access - and continue to maintain quality standards in a high cost-pressure environment. We also recovered over 95% of the commodities in the e-waste we collected, which is above the Scheme’s Material Recovery Target of 90%.
ANZRP is committed to making an active contribution to the enhancement and progression of product stewardship in Australia; and supporting our Members, not only with their obligations under the NTCRS, but representing them in broader product stewardship and thought leadership activities.
Education is key to driving change, which is why we invest significantly in broad-scale marketing to create community awareness and understanding of the importance of e-waste recycling and to re-evaluate the "take, make and dispose” extractive industrial model.
If you have any questions about the Annual Report, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
5 ways recycling e-waste can benefit your business
An essential part of running a business is to keep up to date with technology, which requires periodically updating your electronic devices. However, the old devices that have been replaced pose a problem for many small businesses — what do you do with the old tech when you replace it?
While throwing old cables and computers out with your general office waste may seem like the easy answer, the better business decision is to responsibly recycle your old or unused electronics.
Recent research commissioned by TechCollect revealed that 83% of Australians weren’t sure where they could recycle e-waste. And 58% said they didn’t want to pay to have devices properly recycled. You’re not alone when it comes to the issue of e-waste in your office; many businesses just aren’t aware of the real benefits of recycling e-waste, or how to start. It’s much easier than you think — here’s what you need to know:
1. Make a positive difference to the environment
The most obvious, yet greatest benefit of recycling e-waste is the positive impact it has on our environment. Many electronic devices contain heavy metals like lead and mercury, which can be extremely harmful to both land and water. Recycling these devices ensures materials don’t end up in landfill, and are instead correctly and safely recovered and recycled.
Electronic devices also contain non-renewable resources, which, if recycled correctly, can be recovered and re-used in the manufacturing of new products. Keeping resources in use is the best outcome and leads to a circular economy.
Recycling is often viewed as a civic duty; however, it is just as important for businesses to consider their environmental impact as part of their daily practice. This is not only beneficial to the environment, but is often expected by consumers, clients and employees.
2. Happy employees
Did you know more than three-quarters of Australian employees want business owners to take more action when it comes to recycling workplace technology?1
With environmental concerns increasing among Australians, employees are beginning to expect recycling e-waste to be common practice in the workplace. In fact, an increasing number of prospective employees are looking to work for businesses that operate under ethical policies and actively make business decisions in which positive environmental outcomes are a priority.
Beyond recruitment, sustainable workplace policies help retain current employees — keeping them happier, productive and more engaged.
3. Improve your brand reputation
Showing your commitment to the environment can strengthen your reputation with current and prospective customers. Recent research shows businesses and brands with a demonstrated commitment to sustainability outperform those who don’t2.
It’s becoming increasingly common to select your business partners based on their ethical standing as organisations. Businesses which actively strive to have a positive impact on the environment make more desirable business partners and a compelling choice for customers. Implementing e-waste recycling is a simple way to enhance your business’s green credentials.
4. Declutter the office
Old and unused electronic devices are often sitting at the back of cupboards gathering dust, or you may even have shelves or the corner of an office dedicated to old technology storage. Not only will recycling your old e-waste benefit the environment — by reducing landfill and the need to mine new resources — but you’ll also have a clean, decluttered office, which ultimately improves efficiency and harmony in the office!
5. Lower business costs
Recycling also has a significant and tangible impact on your bottom line. Did you know that recycling is less expensive than waste removal fees, which are measured by weight?
It is important to choose both a cost-effective and reputable recycling program for your business. Some organisations, including TechCollect, which is dedicated to setting the highest standard of Australian recycling, will collect and recycle your business’s e-waste for free.
What about your data?
Our recent research revealed 52% of Australians are not recycling their IT e-waste due to concerns about security of data.
In fact, personal data was highlighted as a key concern twice, with 64% of respondents also stating they don’t recycle their e-waste because they worry their data will get into the wrong hands. This number has increased by 25% in just two years.
In this technological age, it’s understandable to be concerned about data security and privacy. However, it is relatively simple to permanently remove your data from your company’s electronic devices before they are safely recycled. All you need to do is search online for data wiping services or software, or check with the product manufacturer on how to delete your data. There are also secure commercial services that specialise in data deletion. Be proactive in your data management and don’t let it be a barrier to doing the right thing by the environment!
How do I start?
Below is a simple, step-by-step process to recycle IT e-waste in your office:
- Get the whole team involved.
- Gather all your unwanted and unused IT e-waste from around the workplace.
- Remove your data: search online for data deletion services or software or check with the manufacturer of your product to discover how to delete your data.
- If you have a significant amount of e-waste, call TechCollect on 1300 229 837 to see if your small business qualifies for a free pick-up. TechCollect will take IT and TVs; check out http://techcollect.com.au/what-we-take.
- Or, find your nearest free drop-off point at http://techcollect.com.au/our-locations/. If you can’t find a TechCollect service near you, check out http://recyclingnearyou.com.au.
- Drop off your e-waste, and enjoy your new decluttered office and shining business reputation!
References
1Planet Ark, 2016. National Recycling Week. So You Think You Can Recycle Report, http://recyclingweek.planetark.org/documents/doc-1451-nrw-2016-report-so-you-think-you-can-recycle.pdf
2http://businessrecycling.com.au/research/business-case-competetive-edge.cfm
By Warren Overton, CEO, Australia and New Zealand Recycling Platform
Originally published on Tuesday, 27 February, 2018 by Sustainability Matters
ANZRP 2015/16 Annual Report released
ANZRP’s 2015/16 Annual Report has now been released and is available to view here.
If you have any questions about the Report, please contact us on 1300 229 837.
ANZRP and Industry Updates
There have recently been two important updates relating both to ANZRP and the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS), under which TechCollect is operated.
First, the WEEE Forum has welcomed ANZRP as its first non-European member: https://goo.gl/WLnBL6
Second, the NTCRS has announced its regulatory review of the Scheme: https://goo.gl/JU0jSm
We will release further information on the regulatory review as it comes to hand.
Waste Not Want Not Day: Save the Date! Thursday 8 December
Does your office have a lot of unused and unwanted IT?
For the second year running, ANZRP’s TechCollect program is calling on Australian businesses to mark a date in their calendar and play a part in building a sustainable future by recycling their unwanted e-waste on 8 December.
Follow these three easy steps to get involved on the day:
1. Gather all your unwanted electronics
2. Call 1300 229 837 to see if you qualify for a free pickup
3. Otherwise, find your nearest free drop-off point at http://techcollect.com.au/our-locations/
As a reminder, we collect:
• All computers and tablets
• All computer peripherals and accessories
• All printers, faxes, scanners and multifunctional devices
• All televisions
To get the word out and inform all your colleagues, download a Save the Date poster for your workplace!
TechCollect Kicks Off Young E-waste Hero Competition for Primary and Secondary Students
ANZRP’s free e-waste collection service TechCollect has launched its Young e-Waste Hero competition calling for primary and secondary school students to get involved in the e-waste recycling conversation.
Students are encouraged to tell TechCollect, in their words, the best reason people should recycle unwanted electronics.
To enter, students can go to the TechCollect Facebook page and comment on the competition post, explaining their reason in 25 words or less. Images are encouraged, but not critical. Terms and conditions apply.
Primary student entries will be judged separately from secondary students and winners are eligible for a JB Hi-Fi gift card valued up to $1,000.
Check out the competition and encourage your friends and family to get involved!
ANZRP 2014/15 Annual Report released
ANZRP’s 2014/15 Annual Report has now been released and is available to view here.
It was another strong year for our company, with all regulatory targets successfully met and our TechCollect program continuing to achieve the highest standards of responsible e-waste recycling.
If you have any questions about our Annual Report, please contact us on 1300 229 837.
The e-waste knowledge gap: a growing epidemic
10th February 2016, Melbourne: New research commissioned by e-waste collection and recycling service TechCollect reveals that while the majority (95.7 per cent) of Australians agree that recycling electronic waste (e-waste) is important, almost half (45 per cent) do not currently recycle, with many citing lack of awareness of their options or concerns over data security as key reasons.
The research also found that the majority (80.7 per cent) of respondents admitted that they place more importance on household recycling like cardboard, glass and plastic than they do on recycling their e-waste.
When asked what the biggest barriers to recycling were, the top responses were ‘I’m not sure where to start’ (46.1 per cent) and ‘I’m worried about my personal data getting into the wrong hands’ (38.7 per cent). Other responses also showed that many didn’t know where drop off points were, or even that they could recycle their old technology in the first place.
Nearly half of respondents (43 per cent) also admitted to putting their e-waste on the nature strip for council collection. Carmel Dollisson, CEO of TechCollect, said this can be hazardous to the environment – with individuals often being completely unaware of the potential damage – as well as providing no guarantee of responsible recycling that would recover the raw commodities for use in new products.
“Often people will try and do the right thing, without realising that kerbside collections don’t always provide a guarantee that the product won’t end up in landfill.
“By recycling televisions and computers through a program like TechCollect we ensure that non-renewable resources are safely recovered, so that they can be used again in future manufacturing, as well as ensuring that product containing materials which can be dangerous to both people and the environment if put in landfill, are instead correctly recovered or disposed of.”
Key findings from the survey:
• 91.8 per cent of respondents believe there should be better retail incentives in place to make it easier for them to recycle their e-waste
• Only 11.5 per cent strongly agree that recycling e-waste is a top priority for their household
• 70.6 per cent didn’t know that they could recycle their power cords
• Just more than half (50.3 per cent) of respondents have more than three unused devices at home, and 36.7 per cent have more than five unused electric cords/cables that are collecting dust
• 24 per cent are holding onto their old technology out of fear that they might need it one day, and 38.6 per cent just don’t know what to do with it
“Information and awareness are key to the success of the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme which TechCollect operates under. An important priority for the Scheme is to educate the public to understand the important role we all play in responsible e-waste recycling. In the digital age where technology consumption is at an all-time high, this has never been more prevalent,” said Dollisson.
While data security is an important concern, it is relatively simple to address before disposing of your e-waste. It’s important to remember to always permanently erase personal data from any computer, tablet, or laptop you plan to recycle. For more information on how to do this contact the manufacturer of your device or search online for data wiping services.
To find out more information about TechCollect or to find a designated drop-off site closest to you, visit: http://www.techcollect.com.au/