TechCollect's top 10 tips for recycling e-waste

Now the retail frenzy of Christmas and the January sales is over for another year, e-waste recycling service TechCollect is reminding people to think carefully about what they do next with the old computers, printers and TVs they replaced or upgraded.

Early indicators from retail industry analysts suggest electronic gadgets, tablet computers and televisions were particularly popular during this December/January peak retail season. Now our homes are filled with the latest technology, what do we do with the old stuff?

Here are TechCollect’s top 10 tips for recycling your e-waste this year:

1. One in, two out. While a lot of e-waste ends up in landfill, a lot more gets stashed in cupboards, garages, spare rooms and shelves around Australia, meaning we have to keep mining our soil rather than recycling all the precious materials accessible above ground in old technology. So for every new piece of technology you welcome into your home, commit to recycling two unwanted pieces.
2. Stay data safe. Always wipe important or personal files from your computer before taking it to any e-waste recycling service. 
3. Packaging pollutes. Australians sent about 1.6 million tonnes of packaging to landfill in 2012 or 36% of the approximately 4.4 million tonnes we generated. So don’t forget to thoughtfully dispose of the cardboard box and any plastic packaging that came with your new purchase or that you’ve kept from your old one.
4. Mark your calendar. Circle a month, even twice a year, where you’ll round up and dispose of all your household e-waste. February is a great time, after everyone’s back from summer holidays and you’re likely to have new technology in the house after the Christmas/New Year sales.
5. Contact your local council to see if they will accept your e-waste.
6. Reincarnated relics. Over 90% of the raw materials like metals (including precious metals), glass and plastic found in a computer can be recycled or re-used if handled by a recycling service like TechCollect (free of charge to you). Your old faithful laptop could be reincarnated as jewellery, outdoor furniture or in plastic fence posts in its next life if you take it to a TechCollect collection site.
7. Take it to your work. Take your inspiration to recycle and re-use to work. If you’re part of a small business, consider how you can influence e-waste recycling in your workplace - maybe pool resources and do one trip to your nearest TechCollect collection site with everyone’s home and office e-waste together. TechCollect has special arrangements for medium to large businesses, too.
8. Tied up in knots. Those random power cables from your old TV, computer, printer or accessory can also be recycled by TechCollect, even if they’re all knotted up in a drawer and you don’t know which cable belongs to which device. Bring it with you to your nearest TechCollect site and, thanks to recycling, something beautiful could be made out of it.
9. Pay it forward. If your computer or TV is still in good working condition, give it to a family member or friend.
10. Encourage your friends and family to get involved and take responsibility for their e-waste. Lead by example and help out those that may need it, collect your grandparents’ or parents’ e-waste and make sure it is recycled responsibly. 

For more information or to find your nearest TechCollect e-waste collection site, visit www.techcollect.com.au or call 1300 229 837.