A pox on the box

By Tania Martin
THE Shire of Yarra Ranges has called for state and federal governments to take action on the number of televisions being dumped in landfill.
Lyster Ward’s Samantha Dunn tabled the issue at a meeting last Tuesday 28 April, urging the government to make a ruling on the introduction of a national TV take-back scheme.
Cr Dunn presented a report to the council outlining the continued problem with televisions ending up at the tip instead of being recycled.
The report stated that an estimated 1.9 million televisions had entered Australia in the past 12 months and there was a total of more than 17 million sitting in landfill sites across the country.
Cr Dunn said with analogue transmission set to finish at the end of 2013, the number of dumped televisions would continue to rise.
She said in 2006 the Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS) research revealed that e-waste (televisions, computers and other electrical equipment) was a ‘looming issue’.
Cr Dunn said during the recent hard-waste collections it had become apparent that it was a growing problem right across the shire.
“There was a television being thrown out at least at every second house,” she said.
“E-waste is also growing three times faster than general waste.”
Cr Dunn said a 2007 VECCI research paper had also revealed that the cost of e-waste was growing into a $50 million per annum industry.
“The government needs to get serious about waste in landfill and introduce a national take-back scheme,” she said.
Councillors hoped a decision would be announced at a meeting of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC) later this month.
Federal Government spokesman, Ben Pratt said at the November meeting of the EPHC an agreement was made to develop a national policy for Australia’s burgeoning mountain of waste.
He said this was the first time a national waste policy had been considered since 1992.
“This would provide much-needed clarity on what is appropriately dealt with at which level of government,” Mr Pratt said.
“Consultation is currently out on waste issues including e-waste and will form the basis of a comprehensive report which will be brought to the meeting of ministers this month.”
The council has also called for the government to introduce legislation to extend the responsibility to the manufacturers for the dumping of e-waste.
Cr Dunn said until something was done to make these companies more accountable, waste at landfill sites across the country would continue to grow.
The Mail contacted the State Government but was unable to get a response before going to print.