The worst is the ewaste epidemic currently taking India by storm, the tragic reality of this influx of computers, printers, mobiles phones etc. is that a huge proportion of it is generated off shore and imported into India under the guise of re-use or legitimate ewaste recycling.

A recent report by India’s Department of Scientific Industrial Research reveals that e-waste heading into India is increasing by 10% a year. The sad truth of this increase is that nearly all of it is heading into urban slums for unsafe disassembly – subsequently, a huge amount of toxins are hitting a huge number of people.

E-waste contains toxic substances such as lead, cadmium, mercury, plastic, PVC, barium, beryllium and carcinogens such as carbon black and heavy metals. If they are not recycled properly; this deadly mix can pose disastrous health and environmental problems.

In the Slums of Delhi discarded computers, monitors and keyboards are reduced to pieces. Areas such as Loni and Mandoli specialize in open burning and acid baths for extraction of metals and so on. The recycling of this hazardous waste should only ever take place in accredited recycling facilities where the proper safety precautions are in place.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of India, the country was standing on a pile of 1,46,180 tonnes of e-waste as “inventory” in 2005.

The following Greenpeace documentary uncovers the truth about Delhi’s ewaste recycling…

Thankfully with the bad there is also some good on the ewaste news front in India…

One of India’s relatively small PC manufacturing companies, Wipro has beaten the some of the big electronic giants like Dell, Samsung and Lenovo to the finish line in producing a computer free of the worst toxic chemicals, a major first for India. The new computer, named “Greenware” is free of both hazardous PVC (polyvinyl chloride) and BFRs (brominated flame retardants).

2010 is the year many electronics companies pledged to remove toxic chemicals like PVC and BFRs. Those that took this pledge seriously, like Apple, HP and Nokia are now delivering. Other companies that are far bigger than Wipro in the global market, such as Dell, Lenovo, and Samsung, are failing to come up with the green goods.

How to dispose and recycle your old electronic equipment safely
1800ewaste is Australia’s leading ewaste collection and recycling service. We are passionate about diverting as much electronic equipment from landfill and export as possible. We believe in prolonging the lifespan of valuable materials by recycling all that we can, currently 95-98%, by weight, of all the materials we collect are recycled for future use. Our service is professional, fast and reliable, we’ll come to you, collect your ewaste and deliver it to the appropriate recycling facility.  1800ewaste only recycles with ISO14001 accredited Australian recycling facilities.

If you’re interested in having your e-waste recycled please give us a call today

1800EWASTE, 1800 392 783

Our electronic waste is filled with a veritable cocktail of toxic materials. Unfortunately when this ewaste is not recycled and simply thrown out with the garbage, ultimately ending up in landfill, it means both human health and the environment are at risk.

A report by Environment Victoria and Total Environment Centre Inc entitled “Tipping Point: Australia’s E-Waste Crisis/2009/Update” states the following affects from materials found in ewaste.

Lead
This toxic material has a well-documented history of negative health affects including brain damage, hence it’s removal from paints and petrol. The introduction of lead to the food chain and atmosphere (through lead combustion) are the primary causes of health problems in humans. Lead in the environment disrupts the natural functions of water and soil systems.

Mercury
Mercury has a toxic affect on both human and environmental health. A small amount now exists in every household light-bulb (the new energy efficient CFLs), if these light-bulbs are crushed as part of the waste transfer process the elemental form of mercury is easily transferred into local environments. Once in landfill and combined with organics, anaerobic breakdown takes place leading to the production of highly toxic methyl-mercury.

Cadmium
Cadmium is cancer causing to humans. Within environmental systems it rapidly degrades soil health causing flow on effects to local ecosystems; it is also released to the atmosphere if burnt.

Brominated Flame Retardants
When ewaste is oxidized during smelting, bromine will be released. The released bromine may then recombine with unoxidized carbon under certain conditions in smelter emissions in the form of Brominated dioxins and furans.

Beryllium
Inhalation of beryllium or beryllium-containing dust, mist or fume, may cause a chronic lung disorder called beryllicosis in susceptible persons, and beryllium is a probable human carcinogen.

Arsenic
Arsenic is classified as a carcinogen.

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)
Hazardous chemical additives (like phthalates) can leach when PVC components of electronic products are sent to landfill.

It’s our responsibility to ensure our future generations have access to a clean environment as we did. Recycling electronic waste is the only way to prevent these toxic materials from affecting human health and the environment in the future.

At 1800Ewaste we are passionate about diverting as much of Australia’s electronic equipment from landfill and export as possible. We believe in prolonging the lifespan of valuable materials by recycling all that we can, currently 95-98%, by weight, of all the materials we collect are recycled. Our service is professional, fast and reliable, we’ll come to you, collect your ewaste and deliver it to the appropriate recycling facility.

If you’re interested in having your ewaste collected and recycled please give us a call today on 1800EWASTE, 1800 392 783

New computers, printers, servers, hard drives etc, the IT industry is booming, and as a direct result so is Australia’s electronic waste (ewaste) pile.

The Total Environment Centre and Environment Victoria have prepared a detailed report on Australia’s ewaste situation, it is appropriately titled “Tipping Point: Australia’s E-waste Crisis. 2009, Update. It states…

• There will be 234 million items of ewaste in or on their way to Australian landfill by the end of 2009. That’s 41 million more items than was estimated would be the case in the 2008 version of the report.




• Without the introduction of an e‐waste recycling program the amount of e‐waste in Australian landfills will treble by 2020 and be close to 700 million items.

E-waste deposited in landfill is a toxic time bomb. Components such as lead, mercury and cadmium are just a few of the hazardous materials that cause adverse affects on humans and the environment when left to leach into ground in landfill.

IT recycling ensures end-of-life technology can be broken down and reused as secondary raw materials.

If toxic materials in landfill aren’t enough to convince you to recycle your used computers, printers, cameras, scanners etc then think about the world’s finite raw materials used to make your new computers. By recycling used IT equipment you can extend the life span of these precious resources. E-waste recycling facilities are now able to convert 95-98% of electronic equipment they receive into secondary raw materials for future use. Extending the life span of primary raw materials is of vital importance as the world’s supply is far from infinite, the table below illustrates that in some instances we have very little supply left.

Correct IT disposal is key, 1800Ewaste specialises in collection and recycling of electronic waste ie. all IT recycling, used computers or simply end-of-lease, printer recycling and much more.

1800ewaste is Australia’s leading ewaste collection and recycling service. We’re passionate about diverting as much electronic equipment from landfill as possible. We believe in prolonging the lifespan of valuable materials by recycling all that we can. Currently 95-98%, by weight, of all the materials we collect are recycled for future use. Our service is professional, fast and reliable, we’ll come to you, collect your ewaste and deliver it to the appropriate recycling facility.  1800ewaste only recycles with ISO14001 accredited Australian recycling facilities.

If you’re interested in having your ewaste recycled please give us a call today

1800EWASTE, 1800 392 783

In some way, shape or form computers have become central to almost everything we do. Most agree that technological advancement will not, and should not, be slowed, however, we do need to consider the enormous pile of computer waste we’re generating in the wake of this rapid advancement. 

According to the Environment Protection and Heritage Council, 15.7 million computers reached ‘end-of-life’ in Australia in 2007/2008, of this 15.7 million, only 1.5million were recycled, that’s less than 10%. The question is…. what happened to the other 14.2 million computers? Hopefully some are being stored awaiting proper disposal but the sad reality is the vast majority have more than likely ended up in landfill, where their toxic components such as mercury and lead, are left to leach into the surrounding environment and groundwater.

The WRONG way to dispose of computers.

Due to a massive lack of awareness about the hazardous toxins in computers many people simply throw their old computer out with their household rubbish, which of course means it will inevitably end up in landfill. This is the WRONG way to dispose of computers. Others think they’re doing a good deed by selling or giving their used, but still working, computers to companies that export them to developing nations for future use. This in fact just transports the electronic waste issue to communities that cannot afford, or simply do not have the means, to dispose of the computers properly. Tragically this results in many men, women and children being exposed to harmful toxins. A recent report titled Exporting Harm: The Techno-Trashing of Asia revealed that the Guiyu region in China is now so polluted from electronic waste that they have to truck drinking water in from 30km away. Again, exporting old computers is the WRONG way to dispose of computers.

So what is the RIGHT way to dispose of your computer waste?

Electronic waste recycling facilities have advanced considerably over the last decade or so and can now recycle 95-98%, by weight, of the computers they receive into secondary raw materials. Recycling not only saves the toxic components of computers from entering delicate environments and groundwater via landfill and export but it also slows the use and mining of primary raw materials. It is not only the RIGHT way to dispose of your old computers but it is the only sustainable way.

How to get your old computer collected and recycled.

1800ewaste is Australia’s leading ewaste collection and recycling service. We’re passionate about diverting as much electronic equipment from landfill as possible. We believe in prolonging the lifespan of valuable materials by recycling all that we can. Currently 95-98%, by weight, of all the materials we collect are recycled for future use. Our service is professional, fast and reliable, we’ll come to you, collect your ewaste and deliver it to the appropriate recycling facility.  1800ewaste only recycles with ISO14001 accredited Australian recycling facilities.

If you’re interested in having your ewaste recycled please give us a call today

1800EWASTE, 1800 392 783

Ecycle refers to the recycling of electronic waste, an issue that concerns us all.

Electronic waste is one of the biggest, if not the biggest issue the waste industry faces today. Electronic waste, or ewaste as it is now more commonly known is being generated at three times the rate of any other municipal waste stream. However unlike other municipal waste in Australia, there is no national or even state-based infrastructure for removing it, let alone recycling it. Australia’s pile of ewaste is increasing at an alarming rate, and even more alarming is the rate at which we’re depositing it into landfill, where the toxic components are left to leach into the surrounding environments.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – the general waste catch phrase is just as appropriate for ewaste.

The concept, otherwise known as the three Rs – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle has been around for a long time and has formed a strong principle on which many waste streams have been reformed, could ewaste be next?

Experts the world over say it is the rate at which we ‘consume’ electronic gadgets that is exacerbating the ewaste issue.  For example, the average mobile phone is built to last a minimum of 5 years, but with the rate of updates and new models emerging most consumers are more likely to get a new phone every two years. The situation is no different when it comes to computers, cameras, televisions, etc. So whose responsibility is it to ‘reduce’, the manufacturer? Should they simply offer less?  Or is it the consumer? Should they control their thirst for the new and shinny?

Reuse is the second R and like Reduce it also leaves us asking questions. The reuse of computer equipment and other second hand electrical equipment has without doubt benefitted millions, which of course is not the issue. The issue arises when the second hand equipment inevitably is no longer useful, leaving the second hand user, often the underprivileged, with the ewaste problem. Typically they simply cannot afford or do not have the facilities to dispose of the electronic equipment safely and environmentally. Tragically much of the ewaste exported to developing nations ends up creating more trouble than it was worth.

Thankfully the final R, Recycle, poses no questions for ewaste – it is quite simply, the solution. Just like we currently recycle glass bottles, plastic bags, newspapers, cans etc we can also recycle our old electronic equipment. Facilities are currently recycling 98% of the electronic equipment collected into secondary raw materials for future use. This process not only prevents the ewaste ending up in landfill but it also prolongs the life of the precious resources used to make the equipment initially.

Australia is without a national scheme for either domestic or commercial ewaste recycling.

Unfortunately to date the Australian government has not set in place any sort of national recycling scheme; consequently the vast majority of ewaste is sent to landfill. In fact according to the Environment, Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC), Australians discarded 16.8 million electronic devices in 2007/8. Only 9 per cent of this was recycled while 88 per cent, or 14.7 million devices, were sent to landfill. The remainder was exported.

Take responsibility for your ewaste. Turn computer disposal into computer recycling with 1800ewaste.

1800ewaste is Australia’s leading ewaste collection and recycling service. We’re passionate about diverting as much electronic equipment from landfill as possible. We believe in prolonging the lifespan of valuable materials by recycling all that we can. Currently 95-98%, by weight, of all the materials we collect are recycled for future use. Our service is professional, fast and reliable, we’ll come to you, collect your ewaste and deliver it to the appropriate recycling facility.  1800ewaste only recycles with ISO14001 accredited Australian recycling facilities.

If you’re interested in having your ewaste recycled please give us a call today

1800EWASTE, 1800 392 783

Are we good recyclers? That depends on what you think should be recycled.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics almost every Australian household (99%) participated in some form of recycling or reusing of waste in the 12 months prior to March 2009, a very positive statistic and one that has been gradually rising for the last decade.  With the help of our local councils we have learnt how to recycle, the 2009 ABS report on waste management states that 95% of households recycled or reused their paper / cardboard / newspapers, 94% recycled plastic bottles, 93% recycled glass and 90% recycled plastic bags. Unfortunately what we haven’t yet learnt or in many cases are simply unaware of is the importance of recycling electronic equipment. The ABS report stated that nearly a quarter (23%) of electronic equipment and more than half (51%) of household appliances disposed of in the 12 months to March 2009 were placed with the non-recycled garbage for kerbside collection.

Why should e-waste be recycled?

E-waste is essentially any old electrical equipment, anything from computers, televisions and fridges to mobile phones and toasters that are no longer working or required. Our thirst for all things electrical seems to be insatiable, hence our e-waste pile is growing faster than we know what to do with. Unfortunately that means the majority of it ends up in landfill, leaving heavy metals and other toxic components of e-waste to leach into the soil and more dangerously contaminate the water table. Mercury, Cadmium and Lead are among the most toxic leachates.

Why don’t we currently recycle e-waste? Why does our e-waste end up in landfill?

According to the Environment, Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC), Australians discarded 16.8 million electronic devices in 2007/8. Only 9 per cent of this was recycled while 88 per cent, or 14.7 million devices, were sent to landfill. The remainder was exported. When the ABS asked why households did not use appropriate hazardous waste disposal services or facilities, 67% said it was because they did not generate enough materials to warrant use of these services or facilities. Surely if these people understood the consequences of disposing electronic equipment in landfill they would embrace the idea of recycling all electronic equipment, no matter how small it may seem.

How to dispose and recycle your old electronic equipment safely

1800ewaste is Australia’s leading ewaste collection and recycling service. We are passionate about diverting as much electronic equipment from landfill as possible. We believe in prolonging the lifespan of valuable materials by recycling all that we can, currently 95-98%, by weight, of all the materials we collect are recycled for future use. Our service is professional, fast and reliable, we’ll come to you, collect your ewaste and deliver it to the appropriate recycling facility.  1800ewaste only recycles with ISO14001 accredited Australian recycling facilities.

If you’re interested in having your e-waste recycled please give us a call today

1800EWASTE, 1800 392 783

How recently did you upgrade your computer equipment? In today’s fast paced technological age, it seems we have to update, upgrade and upscale every 3 or 4 years, or lose the race.

So responsible computer disposal needs to be a high priority for all responsible Australians who own a computer.

1800ewaste are the leading computer recyclers in the country and we are passionate about creating a sustainable environment for future generations.

Why Do We Need to Recycle Computers?

=> Every year, over 2 million computers are dumped in landfill sites, while only 500,000 are recycled. Dumping computer equipment has a devastating impact on our environment.

Just look at these statistics:

• Used computer hardware, monitors, hard drives, circuit boards, batteries etc contain hazardous materials, including lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and radioactive isotopes.




• Every colour monitor contains approximately 2.5 kilos of lead. The dangerous toxins associated with lead are leached from landfill into our waterways and soil, or into the atmosphere via incinerated ash.




• Excessive levels of lead in our bodies result in serious health issues including cancer, learning disabilities, behavioural problems, seizures and even death.




• Cadmium is a recognised carcinogenic and chromium has been shown to cause high blood pressure, liver disease and brain damage in animals.

=> Almost 5% of e-waste is exported to third world countries where recycling methods are unsafe and unregulated. This dumping of our waste products in developing countries has resulted in an alarming increase in illnesses associated with computer recycle carcinogens in women and children.

Why 1800ewaste are the Responsible Computer Recyclers

1800ewaste are dedicated to diverting as much computer waste away from landfill and unethical export as possible.

Responsible computer recycle companies like 1800eWaste deliver your obsolete computer equipment to accredited computer recyclers where between 95% and 98% (by weight) will be fully recycled for future use.

Valuable materials worth recovering following computer disposal include a variety of plastic components as well as gold, aluminium, iron, tin, silicon and copper.

Company Recycling and Data Destruction Directives Lead the Way

1800ewaste provides computer recycling and responsible data destruction facilities to some of Australia’s leading companies.

It’s a sad fact that many major businesses stockpile obsolete computer equipment because they simply don’t know what to do with it.

1800ewaste will collect and recycle entire office basements. Our trucks will visit your site, load the ewaste and deliver it to the appropriate recycling facilities where almost 100% of the components can be fully recycled.

We ensure the safety and security of sensitive material by providing your company with data destruction certificates, which guarantee that all hard drive data has been destroyed.

Australian companies need to take a proactive approach to the responsible disposal of electronic waste and set an example for the rest of the business sector and, indeed, all Australians.

1800ewaste is the Computer Recycle Company You Can Trust

• All 1800ewaste services are professional, reliable and fast and we guarantee our computer recycling is safe and environmentally friendly.
• 1800ewaste use only accredited computer recycling facilities that are certified by ISO14001 standards, which govern the international regulations for the safe disposal of electronic waste.

If you believe in creating a sustainable future for all Australians, then call us today on
1800 392 783 to arrange your ewaste collection.

First launched in August 2006 and now in its 9^th edition, the Greenpeace ‘Guide to Greener Electronics’ ranks the leaders of the mobile phone, computer, TV and games console markets according to their policies and practices on toxic chemicals, recycling and energy.

The Greenpeace website states “The Greener Electronics Guide is our way of getting the electronics industry to take responsibility for the entire lifecycle of their products. We want them to face up to the problem of e-waste and take on the challenge of tackling climate change.

The Guide has been a key driving force in getting many companies to make significant improvements to their environmental policies, and it continues to provoke significant change in the industry.

We want to see an end to the stories of unprotected child labourers scavenging mountains of cast-off gadgets created by society’s gizmo-loving ways.

With more companies now scoring higher than 5 out of 10 – the halfway mark in the ranking – a company that rises to the challenge of phasing out toxic chemicals, increasing the recycling rate of e-waste, using recycled materials in new products and reducing its impact on climate change could soon find itself winning the race to produce the world’s first truly green electronics.”

There are many factors that influence our choices as consumers; appearance, price, performance, entertainment etc, to ensure our love for electrical gadgets is sustainable, we need to make ‘green’ a major factor in our decisions.

Recycling your electronic waste

At 1800Ewaste we collect and recycle all types of electronic waste, we’re passionate about diverting as much electronic equipment from landfill as possible. We believe in prolonging the lifespan of valuable materials by recycling all that we can, currently 95-98%, by weight, of all the materials we collect are recycled for future use. Our service is professional, fast and reliable, we’ll come to you, collect your ewaste and deliver it to the appropriate recycling facility.  1800ewaste only recycles with ISO14001 accredited Australian recycling facilities.

If you’re interested in having your ewaste recycled please give us a call today

1800EWASTE, 1800 392 783

Fluorescent lighting isn’t new, in fact we’ve been installing it in our houses since the 1940’s. However, with the advent of the compact fluorescent light (CFL) now replacing incandescent lights, we need to raise awareness about the importance of recycling them correctly.
The advantages of using a CFL over an incandescent light are numerous, the most significant is the energy saving, a CFL uses up to 80% less electricity than the old incandescent light bulb. According to the US EPA, if every home in America replaced just one incandescent light bulb with an energy star1 qualified CFL, the energy saved would be sufficient to light more than 3 million homes and prevent greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those of more than 800,000 cars annually.

However, energy saving is not the issue, mercury is.

The scientific development of the fluorescent light bulb has come a long way in the last few decades, however, they haven’t been able to find an energy-efficient substitute for the mercury used in a CFL and so a small amount is still being used in every fluorescent light. The danger arises if the mercury is released into the environment, either by the light bulb being smashed or put in landfill. The harmful effects of mercury exposure have been well documented (both as a vapour and in landfill), the human health risks as well as environmental damage are to be taken very seriously.

The largest source of mercury pollution entering our landfills is from the dumping of mercury containing fluorescent tubes and High Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps. Australians consume 50 to 60 million fluorescent tubes and HID lamps every year. Of this enormous figure only 1% are recycled, the rest are polluting Australian landfill and subsequently surrounding environments.

How can we prevent mercury being released into the environment?

Simply by stopping it at the source, don’t let your fluorescent lights end up in the municipal waste stream, ensure they’re recycled properly.  Collection and recycling services for fluorescent lighting have been in operation in others parts of the world for more than 40 years, it’s time Australia caught up.

What is being done to make recycling of fluorescent lighting easier in Australia?

In May 2009, the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) announced its support for Fluoro-cycle, a voluntary partnership between government and industry to increase recycling of mercury containing lamps. The initial focus of the scheme is on those sectors that account for the largest consumption of mercury containing lamps, namely the commercial and public lighting sectors. It is expected that the scope of the program will be broadened to include lamps from the domestic or household sector. The scheme is due to launch late 2009.

How to recycle your fluorescent lights right now?

Thankfully awareness about the importance of disposing fluorescent lighting correctly is on the increase and with that has come numerous companies specialising in recycling mercury-containing lighting.

1800ewaste is one such company, we specialise in the collection and recycling of all electrical equipment including fluorescent lighting and we only recycle with ISO14001 accredited Australian facilities. We’ll come to the location of your choice and load the waste directly onto our trucks. Our service is fast, professional and reliable, please give us a call today to discuss your requirements.

1800EWASTE, 1800 392 783

Electronic equipment has become completely disposable, it gets faster, smarter and cheaper everyday. If something breaks, it’s often cheaper to buy a new one than fix the old one.

That’s all well and good, but the real question is what happens to the ‘old ones’? Don’t just think about the big ticket items like computers and mobile phones, stop and think about all of the other electrical equipment in your household…. alarm clock, blender, microwave, fridge, calculator, toys, video games, cameras, hair dryer…. and so the list goes on. As electronic equipment, of every kind, becomes more and more a part of our day-to-day lives we need to make recycling electronic waste (ewaste) a top priority. Here are just some of the reasons why;

• According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics ewaste in Australia is estimated to be growing at more than three times the rate of general municipal waste.
• Unfortunately for decades this toxic ewaste has filled our landfill sites, leaching dangerous metals such as lead, cadmium and mercury into the surrounding soil, groundwater and ultimately ending up in us. The health effects of such heavy metals in humans can be devastating, research shows tumours, mental health disorders and cancer are just some of the results.
• According to the Environment, Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC), Australians discarded 16.8 million electronic devices in 2007/8. Only 9 per cent of this was recycled while 88 per cent, or 14.7 million devices, were sent to landfill. The remainder was exported.
• Landfill is not the only issue caused by lack of recycling, it is reported that Australia has been exporting increasingly large amounts of ewaste to China, India and other Asian countries, estimated to be worth about $20 million a year. Tragically the recycling conditions in these countries are often sub-standard resulting in innocent adults and children being exposed to harmful toxins.
• On the upside, recycling ewaste not only diverts toxic metals from landfill but it also means many valuable materials can be reused. Recycling reduces the amount of waste as well as the mining of raw materials – in essence recycling is “above ground mining”.
• According to the EPHC, if 75% of the 1.5 million televisions that are discarded annually were recycled, this would amount to a national saving of approximately 23,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalents, 520 mega litres of water, 400,000 gigajoules of energy and 160,000 cubic metres of landfill space.
• Creating secondary raw materials, ie recycling, results in huge energy savings compared to creating primary raw materials. For example, recycling steel into a secondary raw material uses 74% less energy than the production of the primary product. Recycled Aluminium uses 95% less, Copper 85% less, Lead 65% less and Plastics 80% less – it’s a win, win, win scenario – we protect precious resources, divert usable materials from landfill and conserve energy all at the same time!

At 1800Ewaste we are passionate about diverting as much electronic equipment from landfill as possible. We believe in prolonging the lifespan of valuable materials by recycling all that we can, currently 95-98%, by weight, of all the materials we collect are recycled for future use. Our service is professional, fast and reliable, we’ll come to you, collect your ewaste and deliver it to the appropriate recycling facility.  1800ewaste only recycles with ISO14001 accredited Australian recycling facilities.

How to get your electronic waste collected and recycled.

If you’re interested in having your ewaste recycled please give us a call today.

1800EWASTE, 1800 392 783