eDay was a New Zealand initiative to hold an annual ewaste collection day, started as Computer Access New Zealand (CANZ) [1] [2] to raise awareness of the potential dangers associated with electronic waste and to offer the opportunity for such waste to be disposed of in an environmentally friendly fashion.
eDay was first held in Wellington in 2006, as a pilot sponsored by Dell, the event bought in 54 tonnes (119,000 lb) of old computers, mobile phones and other non-biodegradable electronic material. [3] In 2007 the initiative was extended to cover 12 locations, which resulted in it becoming a national initiative, [4] 946 tonnes (2,086,000 lb) were collected. [5]
eDay 2008 was held on October 4 and extended to 32 centres. [6] In 2009 an estimated 966 tonnes (2,130,000 lb) was collected at 38 locations around the country. [7]
The initiative was started to minimise the amount of electronic waste being disposed on in landfills, based on evidence from reports that there was an estimated 16 million electronic devices in use in New Zealand and that 1 million new devices were being introduced every year, the report found that the majority of these devices were being disposed in landfills rather than being recycled. [8] [9] A separate report found that half of New Zealand schools did not recycle outdated and replaced equipment, opting instead to deposit it in landfills. [9] [10] When disposed in landfills there is a possibility of the harmful chemicals in the electronic equipment, such as mercury, lead and cadmium, contaminating groundwater and coming into contact with humans or animals, the toxins in the chemicals are capable of causing serious health issues, such as nervous system and brain damage. [6] [11] When recycled, the chemicals are disposed of safely and potentially valuable parts can be reused. [9]
On the day, drive-thru collection points are established and volunteers operate each centre. Businesses, schools and the public are encouraged to dispose of old computer hardware, mobile phones and printer cartridges. As well as collecting material, the initiative is also designed to increase awareness about the harmful effects of electronic waste. [12] [13]
CANZ were awarded the New Zealand Ministry for the Environment 2008 Green Ribbon Award for Community action and involvement. [14]
In 2009 CANZ won the Outstanding Industry Initiative in the PricewaterhouseCoopers Hi-Tech Awards. [15]
Computer recycling, electronic recycling or e-waste recycling is the disassembly and separation of components and raw materials of waste electronics. Although the procedures of re-use, donation and repair are not strictly recycling, these are other common sustainable ways to dispose of IT waste.
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Electronic waste or e-waste describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. Used electronics which are destined for refurbishment, reuse, resale, salvage recycling through material recovery, or disposal are also considered e-waste. Informal processing of e-waste in developing countries can lead to adverse human health effects and environmental pollution.
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A landfill tax or levy is a form of tax that is applied in some countries to increase the cost of landfill. The tax is typically levied in units of currency per unit of weight or volume. The tax is in addition to the overall cost of landfill and forms a proportion of the gate fee.
Waste are unwanted or unusable materials. Waste is any substance which is discarded after primary use, or is worthless, defective and of no use. A by-product by contrast is a joint product of relatively minor economic value. A waste product may become a by-product, joint product or resource through an invention that raises a waste product's value above zero.
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The management of waste in New Zealand has become more regulated to reduce associated environmental issues.
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Products made from a variety of materials can be recycled using a number of processes.
Mobile phones can be recycled at the end of their life.
Electronic waste in New Zealand is an environmental issue being addressed by community and government initiatives.
As a nation, Americans generate more waste than any other nation in the world, officially with 4.4 pounds (2.0 kg) of municipal solid waste (MSW) per person per day, with another study estimating 7.1 pounds (3.2 kg) per capita per day. Fifty five percent of this waste is contributed as residential garbage, while the remaining forty five percent of waste in the U.S.'s ‘waste stream' comes from manufacturing, retailing, and commercial trade in the U.S. economy. Based on proprietary data released to the public, Nevada was named America's "Most Wasteful State" for the years 2005-2010; where each resident threw away over 14 pounds of non-recycled, unreused items, often ending up into landfills and incinerators per day, eight pounds over the national state daily throwaway average. "Wasteful" states Michigan, New Mexico, Wisconsin and Oregon as well as Washington also dominated the list's 5-year period.
Pitsea waste management site is a large landfill site on the north side of the Thames estuary 0.7 miles (1.1 km) from Pitsea in Basildon, Essex. It is the second largest landfill site in the UK operated by Veolia Ltd. receiving 800,000 tonnes of solid waste per year, mostly from the London conurbation.
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Waste management in South Korea involves waste generation reduction and ensuring maximum recycling of the waste. This includes the appropriate treatment, transport, and disposal of the collected waste. South Korea's Waste Management Law was established in 1986, replacing the Environmental Protection Law (1963) and the Filth and Cleaning Law (1973). This new law aimed to reduce general waste under the waste hierarchy in South Korea. This Waste Management Law imposed a volume-based waste fee system, effective for waste produced by both household and industrial activities.
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