Farmers extend recycling efforts to old TV sets

17 July 2013

Farmers extend recycling efforts to old TV sets

Off the back of Waikato farmers recycling an impressive six-tonne of agrichemicals through AgRecovery, Federated Farmers is encouraging farmers to recycle their old television sets as part of the Government’s “TV TakeBack” programme.

“Federated Farmers is very pleased with how farmers have embraced AgRecovery to recycle their unwanted agri-chemicals, containers and plastic wrap,” says Anders Crofoot, Federated Farmers waste management spokesperson.

“This shows a genuine willingness to do the right thing and with the switchover to digital television well underway, it seems only right to spread news of the separate TV TakeBack initiative.

“There is a subsidised fee to cover the collection of old television sets. Since the initiative started, some 95,000 sets have been recycled in the South Island and Hawke’s Bay.

“The next big recycling push starts next month in the lower North Island and East Cape, with the upper North Island scheduled for October. All the details are at www.tvtakeback.govt.nz.

“There is a cost but thanks to a Government subsidy, it is no more than a five-dollar note. Given it costs much more to transport and process a TV than the value of what’s recovered, the intention is to keep as many sets out of the ground as is possible.

“It is for a good reason because television sets contain a fair bit of hazardous material which should not be dumped. We’d like to see this recovered along with copper and steel, which can be recycled locally, or in the case of precious metals, sent overseas for specialist recovery.

“It is about doing the right thing because metals can be recovered and put into new items including what we use on-farm.

“Even better, if the set you have is working and is suitable, then a cheap Freeview set top box is all you need to give your old television a full digital makeover,” Mr Crofoot concluded.

For more information on the TV TakeBack programme, visit www.tvtakeback.govt.nz. For more information on the digital switchover, visit www.goingdigital.co.nz.

ENDS

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