2014-11-11 Infrastructure & Services Committee Agenda

INFRASTRUCTURE & SERVICES COMMITTEE MEETING AGENDA                                           11 NOVEMBER 2014


Waste & Environmental Health

8                         E-WASTE COLLECTION SERVICE 2014-15
DOCUMENT IN FOR MATI ON




Author                               Manager Waste and Environmental Health, Wayne Schafer
                                     Community Services Department

Index                                ECM/ Subject/ Waste management

Attachments                          Nil


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Not applicable.

RECOMMENDATION
That Council note the report by the Manager Waste and Environmental Health to the
Infrastructure & Services Committee Meeting dated 11 November 2014 and:
A.                        Communicate the closure of the free e-waste recycling scheme for 2014/15 to Noosa
                          residents and accept future e-waste along with other general waste at the approved
                          schedule of charges; and
B.                        Refer concerns about the free e-waste recycling scheme e-waste and the need to increase
                          funding allocations for continuing the service in 2014/15 via the SEQ Waste Working Group
                          to the Council of Mayors (SEQ) and LGAQ.


REPORT
1.                        Introduction

E-waste is a popular, informal name for electronic products nearing the end of their "useful life."
This term includes items such as computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, and fax
machines. Many of these products can be reused, refurbished, or recycled.

Since mid-2012, Council has collected e-waste at no charge to the public and diverted this
material to Brisbane for recycling. Our recycler, CDS Recycling has informed Council that the
funds for free recycling of e-waste for 2014/15 have been exhausted and they will be closing
down the recycling program from 31 October 2014. If Council wishes to recycle products for the
remainder of this financial year, Council will be required to pay for the recycling at a cost of $700
per tonne.

2.                        Product stewardship

1.                        The Federal Government established an agreement with Industry for product stewardship
                          of e-waste mid-2012. This involves the importers and distributors of e-waste products
                          taking financial responsibility for the end disposal of the products they market.
2.                        Industry agreed to pay for 30% of disposal costs for the volume of e-waste they sold in
                          2012/13.
3.                        The percentage of funds agreed by industry increases each year until they contribute 80%
                          of the costs of diversion of e-waste by 2021/22.
4.                        The Government appointed 5 co-regulators to manage the funds allocated from industry
                          and to pay the various companies who collect and disassemble e-waste products.

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