Two months after the Federal Government announced a national recycling scheme local councils across Australia are split on whether to ban curb-side collection of electronic waste to keep toxic chemicals out of landfill. It's an issue that has divided a city and now looks like dividing the nation. Sydney's Pittwater Council, under the Shore Regional Organisation of Councils (SHOROC), was the first in the country to put a ban on the collection of e-waste including televisions, computers and other electrical equipment. Its decision comes ahead of federal legislation that will see hundreds and possibly thousands of recycling depots installed across Australia.
As a result residents in the region, on the northern side of Sydney Harbour including Manly, Mosman, Pittwater and Warringah, now must “take the initiative” and either dump their e-waste at one of 20 recycling depots or hold onto their equipment until a designated council recycling day, the first of which will be held late next month. SHOROC said the decision was taken because toxic e-waste chemicals like lead, cadmium and mercury cost more than $1500 per tonne to dispose of safely. Computerworld Australia has the full story.
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