Last updated April 12, 2019
The government New Zealand is to set up a depot for the recycling of electronic waste such as used cell phones. One of those depots will be set up in Palmerston North after the government of New Zealand announced that it intended to spend up to $1 million over the course of the next two years to set up as many as 15 electronic waste recycling depots throughout the country. There are already as many as 17 depots recycling electronic waste such as old cell phones in New Zealand, with another three to be created by the end of August.
“This initiative is a further step towards New Zealand better managing the 80,000 tons of electronic waste from used computers, cell phones, printers, monitors and TVs which have thousands of tons recoverable lead, mercury, gold, cadmium and silver,” says New Zealand Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith. “I’m pleased to announce that we are providing an additional $1 million over two years from the government’s Waste Minimization Fund to allow 15 more depots… and a campaign to ensure the public are aware of this service and the importance of recycling.”
Smith also revealed that the government is not planning to sit on its laurels but also intends to launch several other nationwide initiatives with the aim of promoting the correct disposal of electronic waste.