TechCollect is calling on all Australian businesses to increase their recycling efforts and help reduce the amount of electronic waste currently going into landfill ahead of its annual Waste Not, Want Not Day on 13 December.
Recent research reveals 6.5 million tonnes of business waste is going into landfill every year, yet nearly eight out of 10 small businesses believe reducing waste and increasing recycling is a key component of being a sustainable and ethical business.
Carmel Dollisson, CEO of TechCollect, a national, not-for-profit industry-funded, e-waste recycling service, free to households and small business, says it’s crucial business owners ensure responsible waste management practices are in place not only for the environment, but to meet changing employee and customer expectations around this important issue.
“With Waste Not, Want Not Day approaching, we encourage all businesses and employees to mark 13 December in the calendar, get their old electronic devices out of the cupboard or company storerooms, and ensure they’re responsibly recycled. TechCollect ensures that at least 90 per cent of the valuable resources in those devices are put back into the manufacturing process to be reused in new products, a far better outcome for the environment then creating new products from virgin materials.”
Recent research prepared for Planet Ark highlights how workers and the public are embracing organisations who take recycling seriously, with 82 per cent of employees wanting to see more e-waste recycling in their workplaces. Additionally, three out of four businesses agree that good waste management improves public perception of the businesses.
“Businesses who put sustainability at the top of their agenda report higher recruitment and staff retention rates, and an overall increase in employee engagement and productivity. As awareness of good recycling practice continues to grow among Australians, employees also expect their company to have an active environmental policy in place.
“Whilst there are many businesses doing a good job at recycling other items such as cardboard and paper, there is much more work to be done in the corporate sector in electronic waste recycling. We need to create an environment in which responsibilities are more evenly shared, encouraging businesses to become active players in the management and recycling of the electronic waste they’re responsible for, which will also encourage their employees to do the same at home.”
- To get involved in TechCollect’s Waste Not, Want Not Day on 13 December, businesses can follow three easy steps:
- Gather all their unwanted and unused e-waste in the workplace (TechCollect will take TVs as well as computers and IT accessories)
- Call 1300 229 837 to see if they qualify for a free pickup (on the basis of quantity and location
- If they don’t qualify for a free pickup, they can find their nearest free drop-off point at http://techcollect.com.au/our-locations/If they’re not close to a TechCollect service, they can search for other free services under the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme at http://recyclingnearyou.com.au
“With Christmas just around the corner, we encourage businesses to give the ultimate gift back to the environment. During this quiet time of the year, it would be great to see businesses spend a couple of hours rounding up all the e-waste in the office. It’s good for their workforce, their corporate reputation, and above all it’s good for the environment,” said Dollisson.