Sydneysiders recycled 45 tonnes of electronic waste at our March and June 2018 e-waste collection days, helping keep unwanted household items out of landfill.
These recent events were held at our Sydney Park Nursery Depot. In total they attracted 1,558 individual e-waste drop-offs with half of all participants reporting that it was their first time attending an e-waste event. Stacks of TVs, computers, cables and printers were collected alongside household items from vacuum cleaners to broken hairdryers.
The e-waste collected is diverted from landfill and around 95% of raw materials recovered are recycled. In 2017 alone, the City has helped more than 3,000 households recycle almost 90 tonnes of electronic and unwanted household waste.
E-waste items sometimes contain precious metals such as copper and platinum that should be reused. Computer screens and TVs contain toxic chemicals such as lead, mercury and arsenic, which can leach out from landfills and into waterways.
Why should I recycle e-waste?
We love the latest gadgets. But Australians generate more than 650,000 tonnes of electronic waste (e-waste) each year and most of it ends up in landfill. As well as putting more pressure on limited landfill capacity, e-waste can be hazardous as it contains toxic materials.
Why should I recycle e-waste?
We love the latest gadgets. But Australians generate more than 650,000 tonnes of electronic waste (e-waste) each year and most of it ends up in landfill. As well as putting more pressure on limited landfill capacity, e-waste can be hazardous as it contains toxic materials.
Where does it all go?
Not out of the country, that’s for sure! All the e-waste collected by the City of Sydney is processed locally where around 95% of it is recycled. Components are stripped, then broken down into commodities and circulated back into the market for new products.
What about the items that still work?
Why not try to find a new home for your unwanted electronic goods first? If your items still work, donate them to non-profit organisations such as Sort Recycling, who refurbish working computers for locally disadvantaged children. You could also try giving items away online through organisations like OzRecycle.
Items handed in at our e-waste collections are strictly for recycling. This way, we can guarantee that at the end of their life, they will be processed responsibly.
What: E-Waste drop-off day
When: 24 November 9am
Where: Sydney Park Depot, Barwon Park Road, Alexandria
For More Information Click Here