The way Queenstown deals with electronic waste could change with an e-waste recycling trial beginning in Queenstown and Wanaka later this year.
One of the fastest growing categories of hazardous waste in the world, e-waste is made up of obsolete or broken electrical or electronic devices.
Starting on September 1 this year, the six-month "e-cycle" trial aims to divert e-waste away from landfill by introducing a user-pays recycling drop-off service at transfer sites in Queenstown and Wanaka.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council infrastructure and services committee approved the six-month trial at yesterday's meeting.
"We don't want people to drop it in the wrong places, so this is a very important opportunity for people to get rid of waste that's hard to get rid of," committee chairman Lyal Cocks said.
The service is expected to run at no extra cost to the council.
RCN, a New Zealand-owned company specialising in e-waste dismantling, partnered with the Community Recycling Network in October last year received funding for the project, which included setting up a site at Wanaka Wastebusters in March.
Once Wanaka Wastebusters transport the waste back to Wanaka, they will process and package the material on site, before freighting it to RCN in Christchurch.
The company liaises with off-shore factories in Singapore, Australia, Japan and China to ensure they are properly accredited and meet international regulations around minimising environmental harm.
Drop-off charges will include $20 for a CRT TV, $11.50 for fax machines and $69 for large photocopiers.
The majority of local e-waste is disposed to the landfill or collected during the national e-day electronic waste collection.
The e-cycle will not be compulsory, but will be encouraged as a first option, with the public still able to choose to dispose of their e-waste to the landfill through the transfer stations.
