Cr Celia Wade-Brown delighted to support e-Day

Cr Celia Wade-Brown  is delighted to be taking some of her out-dated computer equipment - old monitor, desktop, keyboard and cables along to eDay.

She says "Keeping up to date with ICT capabilities can mean getting rid of obsolete equipment. Sometimes upgrades of RAM suffice but eventually old gear has to go. It wastes space at home to keep it but people are rightly worried about the environmental effects of just taking computers to the landfill."

She adds "If equipment is still working well, TradeMe and Freecycle are good alternatives to throwing away items that are of some value to somebody."

Cr Wade-Brown, whose Environment portfolio responsibilities include waste minimisation, says "Wellington City supported the pilot eDay in 2006 and has supported it every year since with a grant and staff time, because computers and other electronic devices can contain toxic heavy metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury. The plastic casing and wiring of computer equipment can also contain hazardous materials, such as brominated flame retardants.

She says eDay is a great initiative but still must be seen as a stop-gap until electronics manufacturers and importers take responsibility for the whole life-cycle of their products. "I hope the New Zealand Waste Advisory Board will choose eWaste as a priority product. Its volume continues to grow, the rare metals like tantalum need to be recycled not mined from diminishing sources and local authorities shouldn't have to pick up after the ICT industry."

Several city and regional councillors, including Ian McKinnon and Paul Bruce, will be helping on Saturday. Celia is volunteering for the morning shift.

"Finally we must pay tribute to national and local volunteers. Mike Ennis, who is also a member of Council's Environmental Reference Group, has put in a huge amount of effort, logistical analysis and determination to make this work. eDay Wellington wouldn't work without Remarkit and the Westpac Stadium"

Prior to her role on City Council, Celia Wade-Brown worked in the ICT industry. She was a founding trustee of the 2020 Communications Trust and on the inaugural Council of the Internet Society of NZ.

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