Canberra will be the first jurisdiction to dispose unwanted electronics under the incoming national e-waste recycling scheme.
Under the industry-run and -funded National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme, to be launched mid-2012, DHL Supply Chain — a government-approved administrator — will provide free pick-up of computers, hard drives, keyboards, printers and televisions from 15 May 2012.
The service will operate from Mugga Lane and Mitchell transfer stations in ACT seven days a week.
A spokesperson for the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities told Computerworld Australia that fellow administrators, the Australia and New Zealand Recycling Platform and E-Cycle Solutions will be required to provide recycling services to the ACT by the end of 2013.
The scheme aims to curb the increasing dumping of electronic waste in Australian landfills — expected to hit 181,000 tonnes by 2028 from 106,000 tonnes in 2008 — and boost the recycling rate for TVs and computers from 17 per cent in 2010 to 80 per cent by 2021.
It is also looking at reducing human and environmental exposure to hazardous e-waste materials such as bromine, lead, mercury and zinc, as well as meeting a material recovery of 90 per cent by 2015.
The scheme was established under the Product Stewardship (Televisions and Computers) Regulations 2011 legislation and is to be amended to align the products and product codes with the revised product codes used in import declarations.
An exposure draft of the Product Stewardship (Televisions and Computers) Amendment Regulation 2012 has been released for public comment until 17 May 2012.
The scheme is to be rolled out across the country by 31 December 2013.
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