A new e-waste recycling trial has been launched, aiming to reduce the amount of electric and electronic waste going to landfill, and Central Otago residents will be able to take part.

TechCollect NZ, a not-for-profit organisation committed to supporting product stewardship for electrical and electronic products in Aotearoa, has partnered with Noel Leeming to trial a free e-waste recycling programme.

Currently, as much as 98% of our household e-waste may end up in landfills, according to recent research which used the Whangarei district as a case study. The study also found the amount of e-waste produced is growing up to three times faster than any other type of waste.

The new recycling initiative, aimed at diverting electric and electronic waste from landfill, is now available to Central Otago residents, as Noel Leeming Queenstown, Dunedin and Invercargill have all signed up to the trial.

Customers and small businesses can take e-waste including printers, computers, laptops and tablets, as well as peripherals such as keyboards, mice, power supplies, monitors, copiers, scanners, multifunction printers and cameras to a participating Noel Leeming retail store. 

People are responsible for clearing their own personal data from devices prior to dropping it off in-store for recycling.

Things that can not be recycled through this initiative include televisions, white goods, non-IT electronics, loose batteries, toner and ink cartridges. 

Computer peripherals can also be recycled.

Mobile phones will continue to be recycled through Noel Leeming’s partnership programme with Re:Mobile.

In 2019, The Warehouse Group, of which Noel Leeming is a part, became the first large organisation in New Zealand and the third major retailer in the world, to go carbon zero.

The Warehouse Group Chief Sustainability Officer, David Benattar, says this programme allows people to responsibly and conveniently dispose of their e-waste free of charge.

“E-waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world, with the average Kiwi generating more than 21kgs of e-waste each year. 

“By introducing a programme where unwanted Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment can safely be recycled, we are hopeful we can divert a considerable amount of e-waste from New Zealand landfills.” 

The programme aims to process as much material within Aotearoa New Zealand as possible. However, a spokesperson noted some components will need to be processed overseas.

Michael Dudley, Senior Policy Manager at TechCollect NZ, said they were delighted to be working with Noel Leeming to tackle the challenge of responsible and sustainable e-waste management, whilst helping New Zealand transition towards a more circular economy.

“As the demand for new technology increases so does our e-waste footprint, with nearly 100,000 tonnes of e-waste generated in New Zealand each year. 

“This initiative is spearheading e-waste product stewardship in New Zealand.”

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