E-waste solution and action

At a meeting in Perth on 5 November, the nation’s environment ministers endorsed a new National Waste Policy, the first such national framework charting a 10-year vision for resource recovery and waste management.

The policy includes a landmark scheme for recycling computers and televisions, with householders able to drop off used computers and TVs for recycling free of charge, Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett announced.

“It has been 17 years since these issues were looked at in a national context and we now have a clear path for future action and a huge step up on existing efforts.”

The National Waste Policy sets out a comprehensive agenda for national coordinated action on waste across six key areas:

• Taking responsibility
• Improving the market
• Pursuing sustainability
• Reducing hazard and risk
• Tailoring solutions
• Providing the evidence

The Minister said the new approach had been developed in consultation and with the support of industry as well as key non-government organisations and he acknowledged their involvement and support in negotiating these crucial breakthroughs.

Computers and televisions

Garrett said the first areas of waste targeted for action will be computers and televisions.

“Ministers ... agreed to a groundbreaking product stewardship framework through which computers and televisions will be the first products regulated.’

“Backed by Commonwealth legislation, a new industry-run national collection and recycling scheme for this growing mountain of electronic waste will be up and running in or before 2011.

“This is a major development in one of our fastest growing areas of waste which sees for the first time computer and television manufacturers taking national responsibility for managing e-waste, and it will be done at minimal cost to consumers,” Garrett said.

“The National Waste policy specifically provides for accreditation of industry-led schemes, helping to strengthen the arm of industry leaders who want to drive action that sees manufacturers take responsibility for their products when they reach the end of their life.

“Computer and television importers and manufacturers are working with government to take responsibility for their goods, from cradle to grave.’’

The government will provide support to the industry-led collection and recycling scheme by ensuring industry non-participants comply with the same standards as industry members voluntarily participating.

This will ensure that free-riders are unable to gain a financial advantage over those companies that willingly contribute to recycling their own products.

Under the new product stewardship framework there is provision for mandatory, voluntary and co-regulatory schemes. Industry and community organisations that run voluntary schemes will be able to gain accreditation so that the community knows that what they recycle through these schemes will be re-used or recycled in an ethical and environmentally safe way.

Used tyres

Ministers also agreed to the development of an industry-led scheme for the recycling of used tyres.

“The Australian government will lead work with tyre industry stakeholders and state and territory governments to put in place recycling schemes to commence next year to increase recycling rates and prevent tyres going to landfill.”

In order to get the scheme’s design underway, Garrett said a ‘tyres roundtable’ would be convened in the coming weeks with the Australian Tyre Industry Council (ATIC), Australian Tyre Recyclers Association, Minerals Council of Australia, Cement Industry Federation, Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, Motor Trades Association of Australia, Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce and other key industry bodies.

Ministers also agreed to release a report on the state of Australia’s waste later this year.

The Product Stewardship Australia (PSA) wholeheartedly welcomes the decision. PSA's Chairman, Laurie Nolan, said, “The Federal Environment Minister is to be commended on his foresight. Product Stewardship Australia (PSA), the organisation set up by TV suppliers to design and run a national TV recycling scheme, believes that the policy approach outlined by Ministers reflects a considered approach that meets environmental objectives as well as community expectations. The Consumer Electronics Suppliers Association (CESA) established PSA in 2004, and the two associations have worked collaboratively on TV recycling since 2000.

PSA and CESA believe that stringently enforced e-waste regulations, which deal with industry free-riders, will
deliver significant environmental benefit and widespread material recovery. Effective regulation will also
provide the necessary policy foundation to enable industry to fund and implement a community-friendly TV
collection and recycling program on a national basis.

The Chairman, Directors and Executive of PSA and CESA look forward to working very closely with the
Federal Minister and his Department on the development of the regulation, and ensuring its promulgation is
timely and efficient. Subject to the implementation of such regulation, PSA will work towards the
commencement of a national collection and recycling scheme as early as February 2011, if not earlier.