Electronic Waste

What's new?

Free television and computer recycling

Residents can now dispose of their TVs and computers for free by taking them to over 13 sites in South Australia.

For City of Marion residents, the closest may be:

TechCollect: Solo Resource Recovery
Open Monday to Friday 7:00-5:00. Saturday and Sunday 8:00-4:00
181 Morphett Road
North Plympton SA 5037
Phone: 8295 5077

OR

Advanced Recycling Technologies (ART)
Open Friday 8:30-4:30. Saturday 9:00-12:00. Other days available by appointment
3/13 Chrysler Road
Lonsdale SA 5160
Phone: 8186 5883

For more collection sites, you can visit the Zero Waste SA website - E-Waste information.

What is e-waste?

E-waste is anything that needed a plug or a battery to work. With changes in technology, households and offices now have numerous new electronic gadgets, many of which will only last a few years. These include everything from computers, TVs, printers and DVD players, to hairdryers and electric mixers.

Why is e-waste a problem?

E-Waste is the fasted growing waste stream. It contains many components, such as precious metals, that should not be sent to landfill.

The manufacture, use and disposal of electrical and electronic equipment purchased by Australians is estimated to generate over 42 million tonnes of greenhouse gases per year. Increased consumption has led to e-waste being the fasted growing waste stream in Australia.

The issues are:

• Use of finite raw materials.
  E-waste can contain precious resources such as gold, copper and silver. Extraction of these elements gives them a second life.
• Toxic chemicals and heavy metals.
  E-waste such as computers and TVs are made up of many different components. This can include hazardous substances such as lead, mercury, chromium and brominated flame retardants which can contaminate the landfill and leach into the soil and water.
• E-waste takes up valuable space in landfill.

What can you do with your old e-waste?

As part of the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme, the following items will now be accepted for recycling at collection sites.

Fluorescent Globes and TubesThe City of Marion provides a drop off service for old fluorescent globes and energy saving bulbs for recycling. Residents can take these items to:

City Services (to the Stores area, not reception)
935 Marion Road
Mitchell Park SA 5043
From Monday to Friday 8.00am - 3.00pm

Residents can bring up to six domestic globes at any one visit for recycling. IKEA also takes in used globes which are all fully recycled.

Mobile phones

With Australians buying over 7 million new mobile phones a year, chances are you have one of the estimated 14 - 16 million obsolete phones lying in a cupboard or drawer.

These are easily disposed through programs such as Mobile Muster. Mobile Muster is an Australian-wide mobile phone recycling program. To support mobile phone recycling, City of Marion has been running the Old Phones More Chickens campaign in association with Mobile Muster and Oxfam Unwrapped.

Recycling mobile phones is easy. Simply take your phone into any mobile phone shop or Post Office and ask for it to be recycled.

Alternatively you can recycle it through council by placing it in the Mobile Muster tube in the foyer of:

City of Marion
245 Sturt Road
Sturt SA 5047
From Monday to Friday 8.30am - 5.00pm

Other City of Marion collection points include:

• Hallett Cove Library, Zwerner Drive, Hallett Cove SA 5158
• Glandore Community Centre, 25 Naldera Street, Glandore SA 5037
• Trott Park Neighbourhood Centre, 34 Hessing Crescent, Trott Park SA 5158
• Mitchell Park Neighbourhood Centre, 1 Cumbria Court, Mitchell Park SA 5043
• Park Holme Library, Duncan Avenue, Park Holme SA 5043

You can also check the internet for recycling programs, but make sure they are recycling ethically.

Find out more great facts on the Mobile Muster website.

Batteries

Take your old domestic batteries to Battery World for recycling.  Most garages will take in your old car batteries.

Useful addresses and websites

Here are a few useful contacts. Please note the list is by no means exclusive and residents should only regard this as general advice.