Garrett launches national e-waste scheme

James Riley
Thursday, 05 November 2009 12:29

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Environment Minister Peter Garrett has flagged national legislation to enforce life-cycle management of ICT products, with producers to be responsible for ensuring their products are recycled through accredited 'take-back' schemes.

At a meeting of environment Ministers in Perth today, Mr Garrett said 80 per cent of all computers and televisions were expected to be recycled by 2021 – compared to just 10 per cent that are recycled today.

Backed by federal laws, the scheme will be run by industry groups and monitored by the Department of Environment. Customs will also play a role in monitoring the product volumes being imported into Australia, and who imports them. The scheme was announced through the Environmental Protection Heritage Council.

Of the 16.8 million televisions, computers and other computer products like printers that reached their end-of-life in 2007-08, more than 80 per cent ended up as land-fill, Mr Garrett said.

"Computer and television importers and manufacturers are working with Government to take responsibility for their goods, from cradle to grave," he said

"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," Mr Garrett said.

The new policy will require manufacturers and importers of electronic equipment to join a government-accredited Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO).

The Australian Information Industry Association, which has been running a pilot take-back program in Victoria called ByteBack, plans to immediately establish a PRO for the ICT sector.

AIIA chief executive Ian Birks told iTWire: "The scheme will capture anyone who imports technology into Australia over a certain threshold will need to be a member of an accredited PRO scheme which ensures that they provide take-back services for their products."

Importantly, Birks said the scheme would stop industry free-riding – where the cost of environmental take-back schemes have been borne by just a few manufacturers.

Once it was up and running, Birks said he expected the cost of the take-back scheme at between $2 and $3 per unit, which in most cases would be absorbed into the cost of sale.

"This is a good outcome all round," Birks told iTWire. "It's positive for the industry and its positive for the environment – and its positive for consumers."