E-waste stations on the way

Old televisions, broken computers, malfunctioning phones and other useless electronics will soon be able to be recycled at e-waste stations in South Wairarapa.

The stations are almost ready to start taking e-waste, said Mark Allingham, South Wairarapa District Council's group manager of infrastructure and services.

He said the council and Carterton District Council signed a joint contract with Earthcare to provide the stations.

They would be around for the next two years at least.

Mr Allingham was pleased to be able to offer the service.

"We had been looking at trying to recycle computers for some time," he said.

Televisions and other electronics can contain potentially toxic materials harmful to people and the environment.

With the switch over to digital TV, the council is anticipating about 770 television sets will need to be recycled.

The Government's nation-wide TV Takeback scheme is expected to start on August 21 in South Wairarapa when the e-waste stations will open.

A government subsidy means it will cost less than $5 to get rid of unwanted TVs.

Other items would also incur a small fee.

Collection sites will be open during normal operating hours at the Featherston and Greytown Recycling centres and at the Martinborough Transfer Station.

For the duration of the TV TakeBack campaign, a free TV drop-off service will be available to residents while the government subsidy applies.

Environment Minister Amy Adams said more than 50,000 televisions had already been collected for recycling under the scheme. "We have stopped hundreds of tonnes of harmful material going to landfill."

With the move to digital television on September 29, people are advised to find out whether their existing TV will work in a digital format or if they will need a new one.

Go online for more information on the digital switchover at: www.goingdigital.co.nz

TV components are reused in the following ways:

Glass is recycled overseas into new products.

Metals such as steel are melted down and made into new products.

Copper wire is removed and recycled in New Zealand.

Circuit boards are recycled overseas.

Aluminum is removed and recycled in New Zealand.

A small proportion of a TV cannot be recycled and does go to landfill.