E-waste is growing up to three times faster than general municipal waste in Australia and is the fastest growing waste item in landfills worldwide. E-waste refers to anything with a plug, battery or cord which is no longer working or wanted.
Many electronic products contain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, arsenic or phosphor and when left in landfills, these materials can leach into groundwater and soil, or release into the air, creating long term contamination issues and human health issues.
The Victorian Government believes a commitment to recycling e-waste will achieve a range of positive outcomes for the environment, community and industry which Greater Shepparton City Council supports in many initiatives.
With the help of the Victorian Government funding, Council will be working in partnership with Sustainability Victoria and the Goulburn Valley Waste and Resource Recovery Group to upgrade Shepparton’s Resource Recovery Centre to ensure safe handling and disposal of various kinds of e-waste.
Greater Shepparton City Council Manager Works and Waste Janelle Bunfield said the upgrades included renovations to provide weatherproof containments for e-waste items.
“Sustainability Victoria awarded Council a grant of $145,000 as part of their multi-million dollar investment into upgrading state wide facilities,” Mrs Bunfield said.
“Our Resource Recovery Centre’s are already equipped to collect e-waste materials at the moment and Council encourages all residents to start getting into the habit of bringing their unwanted electronics for disposal ahead of the landfill ban coming up in July.
“We are extremely pleased to be providing this service to our community and to be a part of the campaign to reduce the impacts of e-waste.
“Everyone has a part to play in reducing the amount of waste in our environment, Council is dedicated to providing resources to support waste free environments throughout the region and we encourage all residents to contact us or visit our website for more information on how to make your home or workplace more environmentally friendly.”
For more information on e-waste or general waste and what materials can be disposed of at the Resource Recovery Centre’s across the region head to Council’s website.
