TechCollect partners with Australia Post making e-waste recycling easier than ever before
As the demand for new technology increases, research shows that in Australian e-waste is the fastest-growing component of the municipal solid waste stream, growing three times faster than general waste. The latest projections indicate that more than 554,000 tonnes of electronic and electrical waste is generated in Australia each year.
Responding to the challenge renowned recycling service, TechCollect has today launched a national e-waste shipping solution, through a unique partnership with Australia Post, in a bid to reduce the amount of e-waste that enters landfill.
The new nationwide TechExpress service will enable households and small businesses to recycle unwanted and ‘end of life’ electrical goods and devices using any Australia Post office or post box.
The initiative will run alongside TechCollect’s existing 276 drop-off sites and will provide consumers living in regional and remote areas with a convenient, safe and secure recycling solution.
All e-waste received via TechExpress is processed by certified recyclers operating in secure environments and achieving recycling rates greater than 90%. This involves the manual and mechanical dismantling, shredding and sorting of electronic devices into various parts and materials including glass, metals, plastics, batteries and printed circuit boards. Processed material is then used to manufacture new products, helping drive economic circularity.
Warren Overton, CEO, ANZRP – TechCollect, says, “our focus is on a convenient solution to those who lack the time or don’t want to travel to a drop off site. Our research indicates that 43% of people are keeping their old electronic devices, with one in five admitting to being device hoarders. Australia Post’s secure point-to-point delivery service will make life easier for those with unwanted devices to send them to a better place.
“It’s great to see our member companies, representing some of the world’s leading technology brands supporting our initiative and funding the collection and recycling of e-waste.”
“We are delighted to be working with Australia Post to launch this initiative which will support consumers and small businesses that want to do the right thing, but don’t have convenient and secure access to the recycling services they need.
“In addition to our existing drop-off sites, this partnership will allow us to go one step further in helping Australians transition towards a circular economy to tackle e-waste, and mitigate the environmental harm that it poses,” Warren adds.
Susan Mizrahi, Chief Sustainability Office, Australia Post, says, “We are proud to play our part improving e-waste recycling, as no single company has all the solutions, reach or capability to combat this in isolation. By using our unique Australia-wide network, we have already successfully enabled customers to return hundreds of tonnes of waste streams including printer cartridges, mobile phones and coffee pods and this is a natural next step.
With majority of our post office network regionally based, our partnership with TechCollect builds on research that shows three-quarters of regional and rural residents see their post office as making a broader social contribution beyond providing products and services.
The opportunity to recycle this rapidly growing waste stream is another way we can connect with and support our rural and regional customers, particularly those who cannot access the current metropolitan collection points, adds Susan.”
Consumers can recycle up to twenty-two kilograms of e-waste, including items such as mobile phones, laptops, keyboards, computer parts and accessories for a mailing fee of $14.95.
Since commencing services in 2012, TechCollect has diverted more than 180,000 tonnes of e-waste from entering landfill and recycled 93% of materials through its national e-waste drop-off sites.
For more information about TechExpress, please visit: https://techcollect.dycomweb.com/techexpress/
