NRRC is one of the flag-ship sites for the nationwide e-Cycle project, which expects to have 20 sites up and running by the end of June 2011.

Local NRRC manager Murray Simms said he was excited that they are able to collect e-waste under the e-Cycle banner which gives them an environmentally conscious option for recycling the electronics.  In the past they have only been able to accept a small quantity of this waste type if it was saleable, because the recycling option was not available.

“We have to assume that much of what we couldn’t accept would have ended up in landfill”.

“eDay has provided a solution for some over the last three years but our customers were wanting a solution for all electronic waste , including televisions, every day”.

E-waste is the fastest growing type of waste in the world (estimated at 80,000 tonnes per year in NZ) and is more toxic than normal household rubbish.

To continue reading, please visit source article on the Nelson City Council Website

Quantifying benefits of recycling CRT display devices on greenhouse gas reductions

Product stewardship programs for waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE) usually cite among their benefits the reduction in the huge discarded volume and management of their toxic nature. Interestingly, WEEE management studies can also be linked to another major environmental issue: climate change.

These technologies involve equivalent GHG emissions associated with fuel combustion for product manufacturing or electricity production. GHG emissions are an international environmental concern and subject to treaty agreements. Canada has spent around $1.95 billion to develop new climate programs and enhance existing ones in an effort to meet its various climate change commitments.

To continue reading, please visit source article on “Solid Waste & Recycling”

We specialise in providing a unique recycling program for e-waste to ensure all components are diverted from landfill.

Wanaka Wastebusters today (Wed 23^rd March) opened their container doors for year-round recycling of computer and television waste, with the launch of an onsite e-Cycle depot.

Wanaka Wastebusters is one of the flag-ship sites for the nationwide e-CycleeCycle project, which expects to have 20 sites up and running by the end of the June 2011.

Local e-Cycle eCyclemanager Matthew (Bif) Smith said he was really excited that Wanaka Wastebusters was one of the first sites to start collecting e-waste under the e-Cycle banner.

“Because we were already collecting computer waste and stockpiling it for e-Day, it wasn’t too much of a stretch for us to get set up for e-CycleeCycle, so we’re happy to be one of the first e-CycleeCycle sites to open nationwide.

Mr Smith said he believed being able to recycle televisions would be popular in Wanaka.

“We get a lot of televisions brought into the shop, and we can only resell the newer ones with remotes. There is just no demand for an older television these days.

“A small television contains 3kg of lead plus other poisonous materials, so it’s a toxic hazard in the landfill. We’ve been asking people to hang on to them until we have a good recycling option, so I think there is quite a stockpile in the community.”

Unlike eDay, which received substantial Government funding and commercial sponsorship, e-Cycling will not be free. People dropping off old computers and televisions will have to pay to cover the costs of safe and responsible recycling.

The prices have been set by RCN, a NZ-owned family firm in Auckland which will organise all the reprocessing and refurbishing of the e-waste collected round the country.

“I don’t think people will mind paying when they realise that the money covers the cost of transport and safe, responsible recycling,” said Mr Smith. “The e-CycleeCycle depots aren’t making heaps of money, we’re just keen to keep the toxic waste out of the landfill.”

Wanaka Wastebusters communications officer Gina Dempster said consumers may start thinking more about the benefits of product stewardship when faced with the costs of recycling e-waste.

“We think the people who make the money should pay for the recycling,” she said. “We’d love to see producer responsibility in the electronics industry.

“If producers had to pay for recycling of their products, then they would have an incentive to make their products last longer, be upgradable and reduce toxic materials used. As it is now, their only incentive is to sell more appliances and make more profits.”

Mr Smith said people who dropped off old computers at Wanaka Wastebusters often asked where their computers would be sent for recycling.

“For me, one of the big benefits of being part of a nationwide scheme, is the relationship with RCN and the trust we have in their recycling processes.

“People have seen the documentaries about hazardous recycling in China which damages the environment and the health of the workers. It’s really important to us that the e-waste we collect will not end up on a smoking heap of toxic waste, and the RCN team have told us there’s no way that could happen.”

Mr Smith said RCN is committed to doing as much as possible of the recovery and processing of e-waste in New Zealand.

RCN is pleased that CRT televisions and monitors from the South Island will be able to be processed in Christchurch, despite the recent earthquake damage to the city.

Some items will be refurbished or recycled in Auckland (cabling, metals, unleaded glass). Some materials have to be recycled off-shore (circuit boards, leaded glass, cartridges, batteries and plastic), because there is no option to do it in New Zealand.

Members of the RCN team have visited the off-shore factories, and report that their working conditions are of a high standard, and that they are ISO 14001 accredited and meet international regulations to minimise environmental harm.

The factories are located in Australia, Singapore, Japan and China.

Matthew (Bif) Smith: 443 8606 ext 9,
Gina Dempster:  443 8606 ext 9, 443 7116 (hm), 027 443 7116

We will also be running regional radio advertising in all areas of New Zealand during the course of 2011 to promote our e-waste.

To listen to our radio ad, please visit e-cycle.co.nz here

The RCN Group (Auckland) has invested in a new e-Cycle office (affectionately know as the e-Hutt).

This will be use for all customer transactions, including :

• Greeting Customers
• Receiving e-waste
• Weighing e-waste
• Payment & invoicing

Record number dispose of computer waste at eDay 2010

Kiwis cleared their homes of an estimated 900 tonnes of old computer equipment and mobile phones today in New Zealand’s fourth national eDay.

17,787 cars, the largest number since eDay’s inception in 2007, passed through eDay sites around the country dropping off an estimated 77,000 items of computer and computer related equipment and mobile phones for safe recycling.

The free drive-through recycling event was held in 53 drop-off locations across the country today, up from 38 locations last year.

National organiser, Laurence Zwimpfer of the eDay New Zealand Trust, said the response around the country was phenomenal.

“The amount collected today filled over 110 shipping containers which is a phenomenal result. It demonstrates that there is clearly a lot of old computers out there being stored in cupboards and garages and New Zealanders want a solution to disposing of this gear in an environmentally friendly way,” Mr Zwimpfer said.

eDay gave households, schools, community groups and businesses the chance to dispose of their old computer equipment and mobile phones quickly and in an environmentally-sound way. The day was aimed at diverting computer waste from landfill while raising awareness about the benefits of recycling computers.

The Government estimates that there are 80,000 tonnes of electronic waste disposed of into landfills in New Zealand per year.

Mr Zwimpfer said electronic waste (e-waste) and its toxic materials, including lead and mercury from old computers, is globally the fastest growing waste stream – posing a potential toxic hazard to the environment. Land filling e-waste also does not allow for the recovery and reuse of valuable materials such as gold.

“I think we’ve helped raise New Zealand’s awareness of the dangers of dumping electronic waste in landfill over the past four years. However with this much stuff still being dropped off at eDay sites, we have to get serious about a long term solution,” Mr Zwimpfer said.

The eDay New Zealand Trust advocates for compulsory product stewardship whereby manufacturers are responsible for e-waste disposal by including the cost of recycling into the final price of new products.

“The Government is taking steps in the right direction by funding eDay 2010 and new community e-waste recycling facilities and we applaud them for this. However we believe legislation is needed to begin to see a real, positive difference in the amount of this stuff going to our landfills,” Mr Zwimpfer continued.

Since eDay’s inception in 2007, approximately 58,000 cars have dropped off 274,000 items of computer and computer-related waste for safe recycling, diverting an estimated 3,200 tonnes of e-waste from landfills.

The recycling of the equipment collected today will be managed under an agreement between the Ministry for the Environment and a computer recycler, who is still to be appointed.

eDay 2010 was primarily funded through the Ministry for the Environment’s Waste Minimisation Fund with support from local authorities and local businesses around the country. eDay 2010 was supported nationally by  the 2020 Communications Trust, KiwiRail, MORE FM, the Blue Star Group, Trade Me and industry partners, The Laptop Company and Invo.

Collectable computers identified at Wellington today are being auctioned on a special Trade Me Charity Auction with proceeds contributing to some of the costs of eDay.  Items collected include an Apple IIe, Commodore Amiga, several old Macintosh computers and some Dick Smith PCs with built in tape decks, circa 1980. For more details, visit www.eday.org.nz and select the link from the homepage.

“Thanks to all our eDay 2010 partners and volunteers for helping us divert e-waste from landfill. We have had a tremendous amount of positive feedback from people around the country today so if legislation isn’t in place and there is still a need for eDay, we would like to run it again in 2011,” Mr Zwimpfer concluded.

For more details visit www.eday.org.nz

Lara Charles, 021 911 221, lara@eday.org.nz
Or
Laurence Zwimpfer, 027 430 6737, zwimpfer@xtra.co.nz

Minister for the Environment
6 October 2010

RCN is proud to announce that in conjunction with CRN we have been awarded a government grant to run a project, which will provide an environmentally friendly solution for the disposal of electronic goods to the communities, households and small businesses throughout New Zealand.  Please see the link for the Minister for the Environments press release.

Please read on the NZ Govt. Website >> ]]> http://www.rcn.co.nz/2010/10/govt-steps-up-e-waste-recycling/feed/ 0 http://www.rcn.co.nz/2010/10/e-cycle-project-%e2%80%93-off-to-a-good-start/ http://www.rcn.co.nz/2010/10/e-cycle-project-%e2%80%93-off-to-a-good-start/#comments Tue, 05 Oct 2010 19:04:41 +0000 RCN Group http://www.rcn.co.nz/?p=1747 Hon Dr Nick Smith
Minister for the Environment
6 October 2010
e-Cycle | Govt Press ReleaseGovt steps up e-waste recycling.

RCN is proud to announce that in conjunction with CRN we have been awarded a government grant to run a project, which will provide an environmentally friendly solution for the disposal of electronic goods to the communities, households and small businesses throughout New Zealand. Please see the link for the Minister for the Environments press release.