E-waste problems and solutions

Australian and New Zealand legislation governs the disposal of electronic waste (e-waste) in efforts to reduce damage to the environment. Modern business practices require the use of a seemingly endless array of electronic equipment. With everything from computers to your old cell phone requiring unique end-of-life-cycle disposal, how can your organisation ensure compliance with regulations and the proper disposal of its e-waste?

This article will examine the IT asset disposal (ITAD) issues facing Australian and New Zealand businesses, and offer solutions to these pressing concerns.

The E-Waste Problem

The rate of e-waste generated by Australians has doubled in the past ten years, despite efforts by the government to curb the improper disposal of e-assets.

Since the onset of new regulations in July 2019, anything with a plug, battery or cord is designated e-waste and beholden to proper recycling and disposal methods.

New Zealand is estimated to produce 17.49 million tonnes of waste per year, of which e-waste constitutes the fastest growing toxic waste stream in the country. According to a report published by RNZ, the average New Zealander contributes more than 20 kilograms of electronic waste each year, one of the highest per-capita rates in the world.

The reason these materials are so harmful to the environment is due to the presence of mercury, cadmium or lead that can leach into soil and groundwater. Some materials are even released into the air, affecting both the environment and our health.

The toxic chemicals emitted from IT assets have contributed to the degradation of the environment over the past few decades, to the point that Australia adopted the Waigani Convention in 2001, banning the importation of all hazardous materials into South Pacific Forum Island Countries.

Recycling IT assets remains an important area of focus, as heavy metals and valuable materials such as gold, silver and copper can be extracted and repurposed. While there may only be trace amounts contained in each individual piece of old electronics, the cumulation of these elements in addition to other precious metals proves substantial when collected over time. For every one million mobile phones, 15-16 tonnes of copper, 340-350 kilograms of silver and almost 34 kilograms of gold may be extracted.

Considering the estimated 20 million-plus mobile phones discarded in Australia alone, the resources that could be salvaged by recycling in Oceania are substantial.

The Importance of Proper E-Waste Disposal

The historic Paris Agreement of 2016 set the standard for carbon footprint reduction by tasking each of the 193 participating countries – Australia and New Zealand included – to review the effectiveness of existing initiatives every five years.