e-Recycling
Do you have unwanted electronic items? Recycle them!
e-Recycling is the responsible and ethical disposal and reuse of electronic equipment.
Next e-Recycling Event: November 2012 - North Terrace, Waite and Roseworthy Campuses. More information available closer to the date, please store your items until November.
Please note: This event is for University owned electronic equipment only.
What can be e-Recycled?
Unwanted computer monitors, keyboards, TVs, microwaves, CDs, printers, servers, phones, radios, overhead projectors, fans - the list goes on! The general rule is, if it has a cord or a battery it can be e-recycled!
Is it really ready to be recycled?
Unwanted electronic items are able to be used again if they fall into specifications for the Computer Technologies for Schools scheme:
- Pentium 4 standard computers and file servers or Celeron equivalents.
- 15 inch and above LCD monitors (17 inch and above preferred).
- Keyboards, mice and power cords.
- Pentium 4 and above working laptop and notebook computers (Pentium 4 preferred).
- Peripheral equipment such as printers, scanners, modems, backup units and uninterruptible power supplies, network equipment such as hubs, routers, switches and print spoolers.
- Electronic equipment such as smart boards, electronic whiteboards, photocopiers.
- Software and consumable items.
- Incomplete equipment such as PCs missing their Hard drives may be accepted with prior notification.
If your items do fall into the above specification, please arrange for them to be collected via the Computer Technologies for Schools or the Computer Recycling Scheme for reuse.
Why is it important to recycle electronic waste correctly?
Hazardous materials are found in electrical items such as lead, mercury, beryllium, cadmium, lithium and phosphor among others. In landfill, these substances can be released into our surrounding ecosystem. In addition to the health and environmental problems, if electrical items end up in landfill, valuable materials and non-renewable resources such as metal, plastic, glass and precious metals are lost.
What did we e-recycle last year?
In November 2011, we saved 14.72 tonnes of unwanted electrical items going to landfill! Campus breakdown as follows,
- Roseworthy 1.52 tonnes
- Waite 3.26 tonnes
- North Terrace 9.94 tonnes
The glass has been recycled to make new television screens with lower embodied energy. The plastic has been recycled into items such as fence post and plastic railway sleepers. Aluminium and all the metals have gone into manufacturing, mostly for car parts.
What about next year?
Changes to Australia’s National Waste Policy (Product Stewardship Legislation) will see TV’s and computer equipment recycled through specific transfer stations in the future. This means next year’s event will run differently, we will keep you posted!
More information on e-recycling around the world:
Often electrical waste is sold to developing countries for recycling, however, many of these countries have no environmental protection or occupational health and safety regulations.
Example: In Guiyu, China, wiring is set alight to melt the plastic and recover the copper wire. This releases deadly toxins into the air.
Example: Circuit boards are sent to miners who will extract all the precious metals out of them. In developing countries, the process involves a bath of 75% hydrochloric acid and 25% nitric acid to separate the precious metals. There is no protection at all for the workers and when they are finished they tip the acid into the river (the same river that everyone washes in).
Example: Lead levels are rising in developing countries' waterways with approximately 2400 times the World Health Organisation levels. This is caused by throwing CRT screens and other electrical waste into the waterways.
Currently, recycling rates for electronic equipment are low: the national recycling rate is around 4%. Let's work together to make sure electronic equipment is recycled properly! Stay tuned for more information and e-recycling events.
Thank you to e-Cycle Recovery for providing this information.
