Welcome to our latest edition of Unplugged.
Our ability to service greater needs of our members in different countries has taken some positive steps of late. I recently visited Singapore to attend the Singapore Government’s briefing on its vision for an e-waste product stewardship program. Based on this briefing and subsequent meetings I am happy to say we are well-placed to be able to provide a turn-key solution for our friends across the sea. The Government has indicated that they will tender in late 2019 or early 2020. In the interim we are developing partnerships and looking to run some pilot programs to prepare ourselves to deliver a compelling case.
Our New Zealand efforts are also paying off, as we are about to hit the 10,000kg milestone of e-waste collected through our pilot program. We are hopeful of a product stewardship program being mandated in New Zealand in the next 24 months after our recent meeting with Associate Environment Minister Eugenie Sage. We are submitting an application to the Waste Minimisation Fund to support expansion of the pilot and development of a regulated e-waste scheme.
Back on home soil I am pleased to report we are well on our way to achieving this financial year’s regulatory targets, as we anticipate to end the year with an over collect, giving us a great kickstart into FY 19/20. I am also pleased to report our final sites for reasonable access have now been locked in to hold collection events before June 30. This could not have been done without the diligent cooperation of our collection partners, so my sincere thanks to all of you.
I’d also like to take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome to the collection sites who have recently joined us – Copper Coast Resource Recovery Centre, Western Downs Regional Council and Shire of Katanning. We look forward to working closely with you to service your community’s e-waste needs. Should you have any questions, don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and reach out to one of our team members.
On a final note, I want to draw to your attention to the importance of operating in a safe work environment. ANZRP is proud of its enviable safety record, and appreciates the efforts its collection channel partners undertake to ensure staff and site visitor safety.
Creating a healthy and safe e-waste collection service is a key goal for us, and we aim to ensure workers are safe all year round, but it’s always good to be reminded about the importance of work health and safety. So what can we do, as workers and colleagues, to make our workplaces safer? The answer is simple – take a safety moment with your staff every day. Discuss ways to enhance site safety and take action where required. This can be as simple as spending a few minutes every morning talking about the hazards and risks that are in your workplace, and the ways to prevent harm.
Our team is always available to provide guidance with this important matter. Should you require assistance, feel free to reach out, as we are happy to help.
Stay safe,
Warren Overton, CEO
