iTnews
  • Home
  • News
  • Technology
  • Hardware

Standards Australia debuts e-waste collection guidelines

By Joshua Gliddon on Feb 18, 2013 12:32PM
Standards Australia debuts e-waste collection guidelines

Attempt to remove toxic, precious materials from waste stream.

Standards Australia has released a new standard for the collection and recycling of e-waste in Australia and New Zealand.

The new standard is called AS/NZS 5377:2013 Collection, storage, transport and treatment of end of life electrical and electronic equipment. 

In essence, the standard breaks down e-waste into types - such as CRT tubes containing lead and phospors - and then specifies the way that waste should be handled and disposed of. 

The standard also contains guidelines about worker training for the handling of e-waste, as well as elements such as signage around e-waste collection sites.

“The standard enhances existing environmental protections and international obligations, while establishing the processes required to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill,” said Colin Blair, Standards Australia’s chief executive, in a statement.

According to Clean Up Australia, 75 percent of the three million computers bought each year in Australia ultimately ends up in landfill. Electronic waste is also responsible for 70 percent of the toxic waste, such as lead and cadmium, ending up in landfill.

Many of these materials can be collected and recycled. Electronic waste also contains portions of precious metals, such as gold, which unless collected and recycled are lost to landfill.

The Australian government recently enacted the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme in an attempt to reduce the amount of electronic waste going to landfill.

The scheme is run and funded by industry, and regulated by the Australian government. The aim of the scheme is to boost television and computer recycling to 30 percent in 2012-12, and by up to 80 percent by 2021.

The new Australian standard sets guidelines for how this electronic waste is collected and ultimately recycled. According to Standards Australia, the new standard provides environmentally-effective guidelines for industry, and will help to ensure 90 percent of all e-waste collected from mid 2014 will be recycled.

The National collection scheme is funded through a levy placed on electronics and television importers. This levy ultimately finds its way onto the pricetag of electronics purchased by Australians.

Got a news tip for our journalists? Share it with us anonymously here.
Copyright © iTnews.com.au . All rights reserved.
Tags:
australiacollectionelectronicsewastehardwarerecyclingstandards

Partner Content

Accenture and Google Cloud team up to create a loveable, Australian-first, renewable energy product
Promoted Content Accenture and Google Cloud team up to create a loveable, Australian-first, renewable energy product
How to turn digital complexity into competitive advantage
Promoted Content How to turn digital complexity into competitive advantage
The Great Resignation has intensified insider security threats
Promoted Content The Great Resignation has intensified insider security threats
"We're seeing some good policy put in place, but that's the exception"
Partner Content "We're seeing some good policy put in place, but that's the exception"

Sponsored Whitepapers

Extracting the value of data using Unified Observability
Extracting the value of data using Unified Observability
Planning before the breach: You can’t protect what you can’t see
Planning before the breach: You can’t protect what you can’t see
Beyond FTP: Securing and Managing File Transfers
Beyond FTP: Securing and Managing File Transfers
NextGen Security Operations: A Roadmap for the Future
NextGen Security Operations: A Roadmap for the Future
Video: Watch Juniper talk about its Aston Martin partnership
Video: Watch Juniper talk about its Aston Martin partnership

Events

  • CRN Channel Meets: CyberSecurity Live Event
  • IoT Insights: Secure By Design for manufacturing
  • Cyber Security for Government Summit
By Joshua Gliddon
Feb 18 2013
12:32PM
0 Comments

Related Articles

  • Quad countries to boost CERT cooperation
  • Taiwan's Unimicron says Kunshan plant gradually resuming production
  • US, Australia, Denmark, Norway to curb tech exports to human rights abusers
  • Australia to invest $111 million in quantum technology
Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Whatsapp Email A Friend

Most Read Articles

Qantas calls time on IBM, Fujitsu in tech modernisation

Qantas calls time on IBM, Fujitsu in tech modernisation

Service NSW hits digital services goal two years early

Service NSW hits digital services goal two years early

SA Police ignores Adelaide council plea for facial recognition ban on CCTV

SA Police ignores Adelaide council plea for facial recognition ban on CCTV

NBN Co says TPG tie-up could help Telstra sidestep spectrum limits

NBN Co says TPG tie-up could help Telstra sidestep spectrum limits

Digital Nation

IBM global chief data officer on the rise of the number crunchers
IBM global chief data officer on the rise of the number crunchers
The security threat of quantum computing
The security threat of quantum computing
Crypto experts optimistic about future of Bitcoin: Block
Crypto experts optimistic about future of Bitcoin: Block
Integrity, ethics and board decisions in the digital age
Integrity, ethics and board decisions in the digital age
COVER STORY: Operationalising net zero through the power of IoT
COVER STORY: Operationalising net zero through the power of IoT
All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorisation.
Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of nextmedia's Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.