The steady stream of electronic waste dropped off by the
community in Frankton is expected to become a tidal wave as
more Wakatipu homes, hotels, schools and businesses upgrade
their televisions for the digital switchover.
Wanaka Wastebusters spokeswoman Gina Dempster said the RCN
e-Cycle trial at the Frankton Refuse Station on Glenda Dr was
"going well" one year and a month since the initiative was
launched.
"More and more TVs are coming in, something we're also seeing
in Wanaka. Computers and printers are also popular."
Ms Dempster said Wastebusters was "rapt" Heritage Queenstown
was e-cycling more than four tonnes of old cathode ray tube
televisions, which contain elements toxic to the environment,
as part of its refurbishment. The community-owned
organisation hoped more businesses would follow its lead.
The Ministry for the Environment launched its "TV Take Back
programme" in Hawkes Bay and the West Coast late last month
to stop old TVs from being dumped. The programme will be
introduced nationwide as regions get closer to going digital
in 2013.
"We expect RCN e-Cycle depots will be part of that programme,
including Queenstown and Wanaka," Ms Dempster said. "We have
had some preliminary discussion with [the council] about the
current RCN e-Cycle site in Queenstown being a TV Take Back
site."
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