Industry left in dark over e-waste

Beverley Head
Thursday, 08 September 2011 12:01

IT Policy - Government Tech Policy

Today is the last day that people wanting to attend the Sydney or Adelaide public meetings regarding the proposed regulations governing mandatory computer recycling can register for the events being held next Tuesday. But at time of writing the Government has yet to publicly release its draft regulations, leaving interested parties with no choice but to register today and cross their fingers that the draft is published in time for them to properly analyse it.

The draft regulations are intended to govern the practical operation of the Product Stewardship Act 2011. They will detail the requirements for importers and manufacturers of TVs and computers, including recycling targets and access to collection services.

According to a spokeswoman from the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, which is managing the introduction of the scheme; 'Advance notice has been given of public meetings to allow time for people to indicate an interest in attending. The public release is imminent but the timing hasn't been finalised.

'Once the draft is ready for release there will be a four week opportunity for interested people to have a say.'

It's not clear yet though whether attendees at the meetings scheduled next week for Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane will have had time to review the draft regulations in advance.

Nevertheless the Government's timetable calls for the final regulations to be passed into law before the end of the year, with the scheme progressively rolled out during 2012 starting with the cities and major regional centres. The service will be free to consumers who will be able to recycle computers, monitors, printers, mice and keyboards, through the scheme.

According to the Federal Government e-waste is growing at rates three times faster than any other form of waste. In 2007-8 it claimed 16.8 million TVs and computers units were junked with 84 per cent being sent directly to landfill.

Until the regulations are made public however it's not clear exactly which computer vendors will have to participate in the scheme, or the likely costs associated with compliance. Ian Coles, the interim chairman of the Product Stewardship Organisation told iTWire he was still expecting that the draft regulations would be made available this week.