• Each year more than 1.6 million computers are sent to landfill around Australia.
• Electronic waste is growing at three times the rate of general rubbish
• On-top of the 1.6 million computers going to landfill, another estimated 7 million are sitting in the back of cupboards and garages.
• The average citizen will dispose of approximately 3.3 tonnes of electronic waste in their life-time.
• There is enough e-waste in the world today to fill enough 40ft shipping containers to circle the globe.
• To manufacture one PC and one monitor uses the same amount of fossil fuels, chemicals and water that it takes to manufacture a mid-sized car (22kg of chemicals, 1,500 of water and 240kg of fossil fuels).
   

Electronic waste is various types of electrical and electronic waste which have ceased to be of any value to their owners, including all components, sub assemblies and consumables which are part of the product at the time of discarding.

Common electronic waste items include:

• Computers
• Printers
• Scanners
• Fax machines
• TVs
• Video and DVD players
• Stereo equipment
   

The difficulty with electronic waste is that they are made from a huge range of component materials that are useless for further manufacture until the product is dismantled and the component materials are separated - often a very difficult and expensive process.

Computers and other electronic equipment are made from hundreds of different materials. Many of these materials are inherently valuable, such as gold and platinum, and many are non-renewable. If they can be extracted they can be reused in manufacture again as a 'secondary' raw material.

Electronic waste can also contain heavy metals including lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic. When disposed of they can leach from landfills into the water table. Brominated-flame retardants used in computer equipment are both an occupational and environmental health threat. Printer inks and toners often contain toxic materials such as carbon black and cadmium.
 

• EMRC operates a dry-cell battery collection program – click here for drop-off locations.
• Most mobile phone retailers will take old handsets for recycling.
• Red Hill Waste Management Facility – 1094 Toodyay Road, Red Hill

Other computer recycling locations (recycling fees may apply - please check first):

• Dell Computer Recycling: 1800 465 890
• Collins Recycling Depot: (08) 9457 3973, 16 Kembla Way, Willetton
• Secure Computer Recycling & Disposal: (08) 9467 4624
• Sims E-Recycling: (08) 9236 3001, Unit C3-174 Barrington St, Spearwood or visit www.apac.simsrecycling.com
• Students without Borders: (08) 9360 6307 (min 17" monitors & model year after 2000)
• TADWA (Technical Assistance to the Disabled WA): (08) 9379 7400, 371 Collier Rd, Bassendean

Also check www.recyclingnearyou.com.au for a full list of recycling locations.