Final phase of TV Takeback now underway

  • Amy Adams
Environment

Environment Minister Amy Adams says the final phase of a programme to encourage the recycling of unwanted televisions and raise investment in New Zealand’s electronic recycling capacity has today been launched in the upper North Island.

The TV TakeBack programme aims to divert televisions from going to landfill in an initiative that involves the Government partnering with a range of councils, recyclers and retailers to provide a nationwide network of subsidised options.

The programme is being rolled out around New Zealand to coincide with the digital switchover in each region.

The initiative starts today in Northland (27 sites), Auckland (18 sites), Waikato (23 sites) and Bay of Plenty (10 sites).

“The low-cost of televisions and the switch from analogue to digital television is creating a surge in unwanted sets,” Ms Adams says.

“The Government has recognised this as a potential growing waste problem, so we have committed money to encourage New Zealanders to responsibly recycle their televisions.

“With the upper North Island switching from analogue to digital television in December, there has never been a better time to recycle an unwanted television.”

The TV TakeBack scheme makes recycling a television affordable and straightforward. Through a Government subsidy, the cost to the public to recycle a television is no more than $5.

The programme was first launched in Hawke’s Bay and the West Coast in September last year. It was extended to the rest of the South Island in March and then to the upper North Island in August.

More than 133,000 televisions have been collected for recycling during these phases of the programme.

From today, schools in the upper North Island Enviroschools network will also have the chance to get involved in TV TakeBack.

When students take an unwanted television to a participating drop-off site, they can nominate an Enviroschool of their choice.

The Enviroschool with the best participation rate will win a technology package, while all nominated schools will also go into the draw to win further prizes.

For further information about TV TakeBack, including where televisions can be taken to be recycled, go to: www.tvtakeback.govt.nz