Where do I recycle my old TV?
In April both Adelaide and Perth will switch off analogue TV -but don't just dump your old set on the nature strip please.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
In April both Adelaide and Perth will switch off analogue TV, with other major cities to follow by the end of the year.
If your neighbourhood is anything like mine then you’ve probably noticed an increase in the amount of televisions being dumped on the nature strip.
With this in mind I thought it would be timely to remind everybody of the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme launched in May 2012.
While most TV Tonight readers have already made the switch, I run this story for archival purposes and for those searching Google who may end up on my site for the first time.
So here is some basic information on the problem of electronic waste and links to where you can take your old TV:
Electronic waste, including televisions and computers, is growing three times faster than any other type of waste in Australia. The Scheme will boost the recycling of televisions and computers from an estimated 17 per cent of waste generated in 2010 to a target of 30 per cent in 2012–13. The Scheme recycling targets will then progressively increase each year, reaching 80 per cent of waste generated by 2021–22.
The National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme involves a combination of government regulation and industry action to take responsibility for the collection and recycling of waste televisions, computers, printers and computer products. Under the Scheme, householders and small business can drop-off these items for free at designated access points, which may include permanent collection sites, take-back events or through a mail-back option.
But until then, there are some other steps you can take.
- If your unwanted TVs or computers are still in good working order, ask second-hand shops or charities if they want them (but please don’t just dump them without checking).
- Think about passing them on to friends or family.
- Consider existing recycling services ?some attract a fee but if you need to act quickly this would be a good option.
- Or you could store unwanted products out of the weather until access to the free scheme is available in your area.
For more information, including a list of the organisations that are operating under the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme, ask your council or go to www.environment.gov.au/ewaste
Televisions, computers and computer products (such as printers and scanners) will be accepted at no charge from householders and small business at most drop-off points. Some locations may only accept either televisions or computers. Please see the links provided for further information, including operating times.
Â
The types of products covered by the Scheme may include (but are not limited to):
Televisions:
 All televisions, such as CRTs, Plasma, LCD and Projection televisions
Computers and computer products:
 Personal computers
 Laptops, notebooks, palmtops and tablets
 Computer monitors
 Parts for personal computers – for example internal hard drives, motherboards, cards, internal
power supplies, CPUs, DVD and CD drives
 Computer peripherals – for example mice, keyboards, joysticks, game pads, scanners & web
cameras
 Printers – for example ink-jet, dot matrix, laser printers and multi-functional devices.
Note: equipment that is heavily damaged or dismantled may not be accepted at recycling drop off points and
events.
Products that are not covered by the Scheme include:
 Mobile phones
 Game consoles (such as Microsoft Xbox or Sony Playstation)
 Video recorders
 DVD players
 Radios / stereos
 Power tools
 Appliances / microwaves
 Universal power supplies
18 Responses
Great community announcement for the environment! Thanks David!
read this just today too. Theres a few places in SA taking old tvs for free this weekend. Also anyone caught dumping an old tv in South Australia risks a $300 fine. http://au.news.yahoo.com/sa/latest/a/-/article/16202596/free-e-waste-dumping-depots-in-adelaide/?cmp=twitter
@Ed – you don’t have to replace your TV. Even if it’s so old that it only has an aerial (RF) connector you can just buy a HD set top box for under $50 and connect it directly to your TV or via an adaptor, depending on its output.
Someone please bring analogue back. I’m so over the pixelisation and pathitic TV I’m getting now. Will I be a 120 years old before I see HD on primary channels?
In theory we should see HD move to primary channels after switchover is done. But don’t quote me!
Of course it’s for a good cause, but will be a pity to have to remove the 1980s TV I have, that works perfectly, later in the year.
Use it as a paper weight lol
@pertinax wow 65M tv that is one big tv 6500cm
Thanks for this post David! We just upgraded to a flat screen and our BIG TV is on our garage collecting dust!
You can always gut them and turn them into fish tanks
David,
South Australian readers should refer to:
http://www.zerowaste.sa.gov.au/e-waste
Good idea to post this info, David, even tho’ most people have made the switch (even if it’s just to purchase a STB).
Pertinax, Shame I didn’t know about your 65 metre TV beforehand – would have been great for gaming even without the green (easily fixable anyway) if only I could have hired a large enough truck.
I work part time at a local charity and they do take electrics, as long as it’s working. They have a guy who comes in a couple of times a week to check they are safe and working but a lot of times people do drop things off claiming they work when they don’t or worse still they leave them at the door outside business hours.
Good to see more schemes in place to cope with this problems, our local cancel accepts anything electrical working or not, they are also tested and sold if working, broken stuff is sent off to be recycled.
after christmas there were tvs every where. the local vandals normally get to them before the council does.
@backflip. I use to work with Vinnies, same thing they wont take electrical.
Just take your old tvs to a recycling depot.
I have few old TV’s I be setting them up for gaming and placing one in my study with a dvd player I can watch dvds and write about them on my facbook page.
My council has stopped collecting e-waste in the pickup and wants you to lug you TVs to a recycling centre 15km away. Since I don’t drive, trying to take a 65m TV in a taxi would have been ridiculous.
So I put it out with the kerbside pick-up junk and got lucky when the mysterious men in white vans stole it. Once they found out it no no longer had the colour green they probably illegally dumped it somewhere.
My other idea was to bury it in the back garden.
If they don’t want stuff illegally dumped councils should be running pick services for all types of waste. Especially with the aging population.
A very good option is to join your local Freecycle group and advertise the equipment there.
http://www.freecycle.org/group/au/
They still tend to shift pretty quickly, as long as they’re working and not *completely* obsolete, or have useful working parts (like laptop batteries). Plenty of people are still chasing old TVs and computers, not everyone is wealthy, despite what Gina Rinehart believes.
My mum works at an op shop and they don’t accept any electrical donations. Anything thats electrical needs testing and tagging and ends up costing the charity that runs it too much money. I also hope they come up with something soon for people that don’t have cars and cant get to drop off points.