The term ‘ewaste’ encompasses all old electrical appliances either in a state of disrepair or simply obsolete. This includes everything from fridges and microwaves to mobile phones and computers. The correct disposal of e-waste is of vital importance to being able to achieve a sustainable future.
Electronic waste, or e-waste, as everyone likes to call it, is anything that you don’t have use for that has a plug, battery, or cord.
These include:
- TVs
- Computers
- Mobile devices
- Mice and keyboards
- VCR, MP3, DVD, and CD players
- Circuit boards
- Printers and scanners
- Clocks, lamps, calculators, and digital or video cameras
- Radios
- Answering machines
The list can go on, mainly because technology is a dominant force in today’s world.
Unlike other types of rubbish, you typically cannot put e-waste in your bin. Most items are potentially hazardous, while others still have value and certainly do not belong in a landfill. Unfortunately, in WA, e-waste is still legal to be sent to landfills. It is why e-recycling rates are not as high as in the country’s eastern states, where e-waste disposal to landfills is banned.