Page Sections: Benefits of Recycling E-waste | Collection Days & Materials
Benefits of Recycling E-waste
Electronic waste is currently growing at over three times the rate of general municipal waste. Computers and televisions are a growing component of this problem. Every year, Australians purchase over 2.4 million new personal computers and currently only around 1.5% of computers are recycled.
Why divert electronic waste from landfill?
- To prevent toxic materials from contaminating our soil and water
- To reuse scarce and valuable non-renewable resources
- To reduce greenhouse emissions
- To reduce the burden on our landfills.
What are the potential natural resource savings by recycling electronic waste?
If 75% of the 1.5 million televisions currently discarded were recycled, it would result in a national saving of 23,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases, 520 mega litres of water, 400,000 gigajoules of energy and 160,000m3 of landfill space.
Collection Days & Materials
Collection days
We realise the importance of the growing demand for recycling of Electronic Waste (e-waste). As part of our ongoing commitment to assisting residents in addressing this problem, we are currently considering the opportunities to host more free e-waste collection days.
E-waste items can be taken all year round to Council's waste disposal depots for recycling. A recycling fee applies per item.
Electronic waste items accepted:
- IT equipment such as computers, monitors, printers and accessories
- Consumer electronics such as televisions, game consoles, toys and audio equipment
- Communication devices, kitchen and household appliances.
The following items electronic equipment can not be accepted:
- Whitegoods (refrigerators, freezers, dryers, dishwashers)
- Smoke alarms
- Any equipment such as televisions and monitors with broken glass (due to safety issues).
What happens with items collected?
E-waste is transported to Sims E-Recycling facility in Villawood, Sydney. It is mechanically shredded then sorted into steel, aluminium, copper, plastic, glass etc for further processing and reuse.
Does any of it go to landfill?
Overall Sims E-Recycling process achieves in excess of 98% recovery of all materials.
Is any of it resold as complete units?
No. Everything is destroyed and reduced to base materials.