Council extends free year round dropoff on four islands in ‘war on e-waste’

Redland City Council’s popular trial which allowed residents to take their e-waste to the Recycling and Waste Centres as part of an annual collection drive has been extended on four Redlands Coast islands.

Redland City Council Mayor Karen Williams said the e-waste collection service was now available at any time on North Stradbroke Island, Coochiemudlo, Macleay and Russell Islands until April 2023.

“Council has been trialling e-waste collection drives on the islands to ascertain if a full time collection drive is feasible,” Cr Williams said.

“A trial in February saw around 2.64 tonnes of e-waste deposited at dropoff centres on the four manned island based Recycling and Waste Centres.  It’s encouraging to see island residents embrace the trial and the opportunity to be more environmentally responsible with their e-waste rather than rely on it going to landfill.

“While our mainland Recycling and Waste Centres receive an average of 270 tonnes of e-waste each year, we’d like to see this service offered to our island residents.

“The e-waste collection drive has been an annual event for the last three years in response to community feedback and as an action to reduce waste to landfill and island e-waste collection drives have collected over six tonnes of e-waste.”

Cr Williams said e-waste was harmful to the environment if it ended up in the wrong place. She said that recycling e-waste was good for the environment because it saved the resources that were mined and used in electronics such as copper, metal, leaded glass and plastics.

This all contributed to a circular economy.  E-waste also contained rare earth minerals and these had become increasingly harder to source in recent years.

“As we head towards a zero waste future, it’s more important than ever for residents right across Redlands Coast to think carefully about the many ways that they can reduce the amount of waste that they send to landfill and to match it with actions,” Cr Williams said.

“E-waste is one of the fastest growing types of waste worldwide and it’s concerning that a country like Australia generates the highest amount of e-waste per capita in the world, with the average household creating more than 73kg of e-waste each year, when we know that most of it could be recycled.

“I encourage our island residents to take advantage of this free year-round collection and ensure that they are thoughtful and responsible with their e-waste disposal and not just send it to landfill.”

Redland City Council accepts the following e-waste:

TVs, interactive displays, digital displays, data projectors, video and tape players

Computer equipment

Mobile phones

Printers, copiers and multi-function printers

POS equipment

Small kitchen, bathroom and laundry appliances, e.g. toasters, kettles, hairdryers, shavers and irons (microwaves and large appliances are accepted as scrap metal)

Power drills, vacuums and sound systems

Note: Ensure data from all equipment is removed