Auckland company Computer Recycling is hosting 30+ e-waste drop-off days around the city, including Pakuranga, providing opportunities for locals to divert their e-waste from ending up in local landfills.
Computer Recycling is working with neighbourhood groups over 30 collection days – dubbed “CR E-days”. Local community centres across the city have volunteered their spaces for the events, allowing Kiwis dispose of their e-waste.
The company will also be using the collection events to fundraise for Variety – The Children’s Charity. All charity donations made by the public during the CR E-days will be matched by Computer Recycling.
The company has already run four successful events in 2021, with the schedule for the remainder of the year rolling out over the coming months.
The next three confirmed events of 2021 will be held on:
· March 20 – Trinity Methodist Church, 474 Pakuranga Road, Pakuranga
· March 27 – Westgate Baptist Church, 67 Hobsonville Road, West Harbour
· May 15 – Massey University Gate 1, University Avenue, Albany
During CR E-Days in 2020, Computer Recycling was able to collect and divert more than 18,000kg of discarded electronic waste otherwise destined for landfill. In total, more than 400 households came through the events to drop-off their unwanted electronics.
“Our goal for the CR E-day events is to collect and divert over 300,000kgs of e-waste from landfill in 2021,” says Computer Recycling owner and director Patrick Moynahan.
“There is no New Zealand-based framework or legislation as to how Kiwis dispose of their unwanted e-waste, but so far it has been really encouraging to see how much people are looking to do the right thing when it comes to disposing of their old tech.”
Moynahan said the average Kiwi produces more than 20kg of e-waste per year – one of the highest per capita amounts globally – and New Zealand is the only country in the OECD without a national e-waste scheme. Of the 80,000 tonnes of e-waste created each year, it is estimated less than 2 per cent of the total is recycled.
All e-waste collected from the events is taken back to Computer Recycling’s site in Onehunga. From there, the waste is sorted, graded and split into two categories: reuse or recycling.
- Reuse: any items that still may have a second life. Computer Recycling’s team of technicians will delete any data still left on the device and remove any markings. The items will then be refurbished to a usable condition and sold back into the community.
- Recycle: items that can no longer be re-used are dismantled by Recycling Technicians. The different components are separated and graded as either general scrap metals or e-scrap. All e-scrap is exported under Environmental Protection Agency permits to facilities in Asia and Europe to be return into base elements to be used again.
