The National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme comes into effect from 1st July 2012. It will provide consumers with a way to recycle old TVs, PCs and computer peripherals for free.
With the analogue signal already being turned off around the country, householders are upgrading to digital ready televisions and looking for ways to safely dispose of their older models. Added to that is the ever increasing rate of changes in electronic technologies encourage us to upgrade our televisions, computers and mobile phones more regularly.
Australians are keen to recycle when easy-to-use services are made available. Like the Mobile Muster program for recycling your old mobile phones, which has collected 886 tonnes in handsets and batteries since 1998. You can find drop off points with most major mobile phone retailers, Salvo stores and participating Australia Post outlets.
Innovations in Recycling, Reuse & Bioplastics
A few innovations caught my eye this week, and the first I want to show you is an article about an Australian bioplastic manufacturer who attracted praise for their energy efficiency.
Plantic Technologies produces bioplastic packaging from corn starch, using half the energy of usual plastic production. This plastic is bio-degradable, meaning that it is compostable at the end of its use.
Fact: About a third of all plastic manufactured is for packaging materials.
I think this inspired reuse of PET plastic beverage bottles is quite beautiful, creating a shaded parking area:
My last pick of the week is one of my favourites, the Keep Cup. It’s made from recycled materials, keeps your hot drink hot, and prevents you from creating waste. I love a good coffee but what I don’t like is the single use take away cup. I’ve been using a Keep Cup for the past 2 years. I’d average about 5 take away coffees per week, which would be about 520 take away cups in 2 years that I haven’t added to landfill. When we look at the mounting rubbish we create it seems like too big a problem. We can also look at the accumulated effect of making one change to see how we can start to turn it all around. All the little things add up…
- Marta Lett
Related blog post: What is Green IT?
Subscribe to Steplight’s monthly newsletter.
1 Response to “National e-waste recycling or ‘e-cycling’ is finally here”