Council looking at e waste disposal

Wairarapa district councils are considering a region-wide approach to e-waste disposal as the country prepares to change to digital television.

The first stage of the roll-out - which means households have to buy a Freeview top-box or pay for Sky TV - has already taken effect in Hawke's Bay and West Coast. Wairarapa is one of the last places to be affected as the analogue signal won't be switched off until September 29, 2013. Masterton District Council wants residents to know they don't have to ditch their old televisions just yet as the three district councils consider options for a regional e-waste recycling.

Masterton councillor Chris Peterson said they had received some enquiries regarding the safe disposal of old TVs.

He said councils are looking to take a Wairarapa-wide approach to recycling redundant sets as part of a new scheme which will also cater for old computers, monitors, fax machines and other items. "Some residents will undoubtedly use the switch to digital as an opportunity to purchase a new TV and we will be providing a service to enable them to recycle their old sets," he said.

"There are several options for us to consider and we will be looking to integrate with the Ministry for the Environment's TV Take Back scheme. It is hoped that the new service will be up and running prior to Christmas."

Mr Peterson said the demand for an e-waste recycling service was rising and council anticipated this would increase considerably as the analogue switch-off approached. "It is also worth remembering that most TVs will still be operational after the changeover with a set-top box from either Freeview or Sky TV. Some people may not realise this and are disposing of their old sets unnecessarily."