City of Sydney leading the way in e-waste recycling

The City of Sydney’s e-waste recycling program for apartments is going strong, over a year after it began.

Special e-waste recycling bins were placed in six apartment blocks serving 1500 apartments as part of an ongoing trial last year. Two tonnes of e-waste, batteries and light bulbs were collected in the first four weeks of operation; 15 months later, that number is over 16 tonnes.

The trial is just one part of the City’s e-waste recycling program, which has seen a 53% increase in the number of residents using the service since it began in 2008. According to Lord Mayor Clover Moore, 350 tonnes of electronic waste have been diverted from landfill through community collection days since the program began.

The City’s most recent e-waste collection day saw 541 drop-offs, with TVs, computers and monitors among the most popular items brought in for recycling. The City has also made it easier to dispose of unwanted e-waste with the introduction of battery, bulb and mobile phone recycling stations to community centres and libraries.

“It’s very special that people are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of keeping e-waste out of landfill and that our events and programs are becoming more and more popular all the time,” the Lord Mayor said.

For more information on the City’s waste and recycling initiatives, visit http://www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/live/waste-and-recycling.