E-WASTE MANAGEMENT IN AUSTRALIA
Australia has made meaningful strides in managing unwanted and end-of-life electronics, particularly in jurisdictions where strong legislation or commercial incentives exist. However, in areas lacking such drivers, progress remains uneven and limited.
RECYCLING INITIATIVES
Australia's primary national e-waste program, the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS), was introduced in 2012. See National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme – DCCEEW
This regulated product stewardship scheme covers televisions, computers, printers, and IT peripherals. Under the NTCRS, importers and manufacturers are required to participate in co-regulatory arrangements that ensure the collection and recycling of products in proportion to their market share by weight. In 2022, the scheme's national target was 66,000 tonnes.
Recycling under the NTCRS must be carried out by organizations certified to the AS/NZS 5377 standard. The scheme also mandates a minimum recovery rate of 90% for materials from collected e-waste. However, the NTCRS focuses solely on recycling and does not currently support or recognize reuse or refurbishment initiatives.
In addition to the NTCRS, Australia operates Mobile Muster (Home – Mobile Muster), a long-running voluntary industry program dedicated to the collection and recycling of mobile phones and accessories. The program has been active for over 25 years.
Several states, South Australia, Victoria, and Western Australia, have implemented landfill bans on e-waste. However, enforcement remains inconsistent, often placing the financial burden of compliance on local councils. In the absence of specific recycling targets, valuable metals are typically recovered, while plastics and other materials are often discarded in landfills.
A Federal Government review in 2022 estimated that Australia generates approximately 583,000 tonnes of e-waste annually, equating to an average of 22.4 kilograms per person. This per capita figure is nearly three times the global average of 7.8 kg, highlighting Australia's significant contribution to global e-waste. Of this volume:
- 22% is collected and recycled through formal stewardship programs,
- 35% is processed through lower-grade recovery operations, and
- 27% is sent to landfill.
Further impacting recyclers, a ban on the export of mixed, unprocessed plastics, introduced on 1 July 2024, has added pressure to domestic recycling systems. Plastics typically account for 20–25% of e-waste material, and domestic processing capacity remains insufficient.
REPAIR AND REUSE INITIATIVES
Australia has a well-established IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) sector, with many providers specializing in the refurbishment of high-quality, often post-lease, IT equipment. These refurbished devices are resold in both domestic and international markets.
Mobile device repair and reuse is also a growing sector, increasingly driven by large global companies operating in Australia.
For lower-quality or obsolete IT products, careful consideration must be given to international export regulations and the traceability of end markets, to ensure responsible management and avoid environmental and reputational risks.
E-WASTE MANAGEMENT IN NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand generates a significant volume of electronic waste, estimated at 101,000 tonnes in 2022, or approximately 19.6 kg per person, placing it among the highest per capita e-waste generators globally. Despite this, New Zealand lacks a comprehensive, government-regulated national e-waste recycling program.
CURRENT LANDSCAPE
E-waste in New Zealand is managed through a patchwork of voluntary schemes, local council drop-off facilities, and private-sector initiatives. The country has historically relied on public awareness campaigns and local collection events to promote responsible disposal. However, the effectiveness of these efforts has been limited, with most e-waste still ending up in landfills or being exported with little end-market traceability. The reuse and recycling market is growing in New Zealand and it is expected to develop further in future years as the country moves towards more formalised e-waste management frameworks.
POLICY DEVELOPMENTS
In July 2020, the New Zealand government declared electrical and electronic products a priority product under the Waste Minimisation Act 2008, allowing for the development of regulated product stewardship schemes. This marked a significant policy shift aimed at building national-level infrastructure for e-waste recovery.
See Priority product stewardship | Ministry for the Environment
Regulated schemes are expected to make producers responsible for the end-of-life management of their products, including funding, collection, and recycling. TechCollect NZ received grant funding from the NZ government to design a regulated product stewardship program and the final reports were published in mid 2023. See E-Product Stewardship – Aotearoa New Zealand | TechCollect NZ. At this time the implementation of the scheme is awaiting government support and endorsement.
VOLUNTARY AND LOCAL EFFORTS
In the absence of national regulation, the following initiatives have played a key role:
- TechCollect NZ, a NFP supported by global IT brands, operate voluntary take-back program, providing free drop-off points for e-waste across the country. Drop-Off Locations | TechCollect NZ
- Council and Community Collection: Many local councils and community groups offer limited e-waste recycling services through transfer stations or community sites, often at a cost to the user.
R2 IN AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
Many of Australia's leading recyclers and ITAD companies have R2v3 certification, with some 30 sites currently holding certification. Australia has an approved Accreditation Body, JASANZ (SERI R2 Scheme: Supporting Circular Economy • JASANZ), who are accepting applications from Australian-based certification bodies. At this stage there are no Australian certification bodies yet the first is anticipated to be approved by the end of 2025.
SERI has two staff based in Australia who are supporting the adoption of R2 in Australia and New Zealand.
Warren Overton, SERI Senior Advisor