New central drop-off site for subsidised TV recycling in Nelson

Nelsonians can continue recycling old TVs at a new drop-off site, Richmond Transfer Station.

From Saturday July 6, RCN e-Cycle’s Nelmac TV drop-off site will no longer accept TVs under the TV TakeBack Programme, at the subsidised charge of $5 per TV. The new central drop off site will be Richmond Transfer Station for TVs across the region. The Station is open seven days a week.

Nelson’s residents can continue to make the most of the opportunity at the Nelmac site at 8 Vickerman Street in Nelson over the next few days, at a subsidised recycling charge of $5 (incl. gst) . The site operates from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday.

Nelson Council has passed their remaining allocated subsidy quota over to the Tasman district where TV drop off sites are operating in Mairiri, Richmond and Takaka. These subsides will apply until 20 August, when all of the South Island recycling subsidies will come to an end. See www.tvtakeback.govt.nz and www.e-cycle.co.nz for more information.

RCN e-Cycle’s Jon Thornhill said “We’d like to thank Nelson City Council for their support of the TV TakeBack programme, by offering a solution at this site and for their commitment to the operating costs.”

For Nelson residents who miss the opportunity at Nelmac, they can still drop off TVs for recycling at Noel Leeming stores in Nelson at 109 Trafalgar Street and 121 Trafalgar Street at a charge of $5 (incl. gst).

It only costs $5 to recycle a TV through the TV TakeBack programme at participating drop off sites. Once the government allocated quota runs out the stores will no longer accept TVs for recycling and Council will advise residents of the alternative solution at the true cost of recycling, which is at least $25 per TV.

TVs contain components such as copper and steel, which can be recycled locally, or sent overseas to specialist recycling facilities, as well as hazardous materials such as lead that can be harmful to the environment and shouldn’t be thrown away.

ENDS

Background

TV TakeBack is a nationwide Government programme, funded by the Waste Minimisation Fund, to support the recycling of TVs instead of them being dumped in landfills. It is timed to coincide with New Zealand going digital. RCN e-Cycle is one of three recyclers partnering with the Ministry for the Environment in this initiative. The full list of available TV TakeBack drop off points can be viewed at; www.tvtakeback.co.nz

RCN e-Cycle collects the TVs from the drop off sites and stores. They are delivered to their recycling plants in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The TVs are dismantled and the components are distributed into responsible, environmentally friendly recycling streams.

Over 3,100 TVs have been collected through the Nelson and Tasman RCN e-Cycle TV TakeBack sites so far.

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