Number of pages: 02
Date: 18 September, 2008

eDay Chance To Dispose Of Old Computers, Mobiles

Northlanders keen to dispose of their obsolete computer equipment or unwanted mobile phones safely are being urged to take advantage of an upcoming national recycling day.

‘eDay’ is being marked in Northland on Saturday, 4 October with people able to drop off ‘e-waste’ – unwanted computer equipment and mobile phones - at sites in Whangarei, Kaikohe and Kaitaia for recycling.

The event is being co-ordinated by the Community and Business Environment Centre (CBEC) with support from the Northland Regional Council and the Far North and Whangarei District Councils.

Regional eDay Co-ordinator Beau Mallett, of CBEC, says only computer hardware, computer monitors, networking equipment, key boards, mice, printers, toner and inkjet cartridges, scanners, laptops, gaming consoles and mobile phones can be disposed of in the eDay collection. All other electronic equipment (including televisions) will not be accepted and for safety and traffic management reasons, the event is open to people dropping their waste off by car only.

Mr Mallett says businesses and schools wanting to recycle their e-waste should visit www.eday.org.nz for alternate disposal options and more information about e-waste.

He says the eDay collection presents an ideal opportunity for ordinary members of the community to dispose of their e-waste - “the fastest growing form of waste in the world”.

“Electronic waste poses a potential toxic hazard for people, animals and the environment,” Mr Mallett says. “This event gives people the opportunity to dispose of their electronic waste quickly, in an environmentally-friendly way, and aims to raise awareness about the dangers of e-waste dumped in landfills.”

The scale of the e-waste problem is huge, with estimates that more than 250,000 obsolete computers alone are currently being stored in New Zealand homes.

“With that many computers becoming redundant, and the options to dispose of them very limited, it is important that equipment is recycled safely or reused,” says Mr Mallett.

eDay is being held in 30 centres across the country. Northland’s three drop-off sites are open on 4 October from 9am to 3pm at:

Whangarei; Re:Sort centre on Kioreroa Rd
Kaikohe; Kaikohe Waste Station, Station Rd
Kaitaia; Kaitaia Resource Recovery Centre, Church Road, Kaitaia.

Volunteers are required for eDay to assist with logistics at each eDay drop off site to help direct traffic, interview drivers about their awareness of e-waste issues and remove computer equipment from cars. Volunteers can sign up directly on the eDay website, www.eday.org.nz

Meanwhile, Mr Mallett is advising people to wipe all data from hard drives as well as removable media like floppy disks and PC cards before handing them over for disposal/recycling.

“Similarly, make sure your unwanted cellphone is disconnected, its SIM card removed and all personal details wiped.”

More information about eDay is available from the Northland Regional Council website www.nrc.govt.nz/eday

ENDS
ends

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