Free national e-waste collection service launched for New Zealand
Aotearoa's e-waste management system received a major boost with the launch of a free national e-waste collection and recycling service, running as a pilot programme through 2021.
Managed by local not-for-profit TechCollect NZ and funded by its members Canon NZ, Dell, Dynabook, HP New Zealand, Microsoft and Toshiba, this free service was available to households and small businesses looking to responsibly manage their end-of-life or unwanted ICT devices.
The service consisted of free drop-off points at 16 participating Noel Leeming retail stores nationwide, aiming to divert thousands of kilograms of e-waste from landfill while ensuring at least 90% of valuable resources embedded inside collected products were recovered and re-used.
Michael Dudley, Senior Policy Manager, TechCollect NZ, said:
"We are delighted in the commitment and support shown by our members and Noel Leeming who are helping us tackle the challenge of e-waste management in New Zealand, whilst shaping our transition towards an ongoing regulated system."
All e-waste received was dismantled and processed by The Recycling Group. Data was securely destroyed, and components sorted into material streams where valuable resources were recovered to build new products. TechCollect NZ also coordinated extensive market research and stakeholder consultation through the Circular E-Stewards Network to help shape recommendations for an ongoing regulated e-waste scheme.
