Next steps in TV Takeback programme

As the TV Takeback programme comes to an end, the Government has been advised that one of the recyclers involved in the initiative is unlikely to be able to meet its contractual obligations.

“RCN E-Waste Ltd has indicated to me it is likely to default on its obligation to process all the televisions it has collected during the programme,” Ms Adams says.

“The Ministry for the Environment is currently investigating the implications of any default, but my priority is to ensure the televisions are dealt with appropriately, and I have asked for options in this regard.

“The Ministry is working with RCN E-Waste Ltd and others in the industry to ensure the remaining televisions are processed appropriately. This is likely to involve more cost, but I have asked my officials to look at options within the original budget for the programme.”

To date, RCN E-Waste Ltd has been paid about $4.4 million for its contractual work in the programme. As part of the contract, a proportion of payments are retained until collected televisions are processed. These payments for the unprocessed televisions have been retained by the Ministry.

More than 220,000 televisions were collected for recycling during the programme. The Ministry is working with RCN E-Waste Ltd to determine exactly how many televisions are still to be processed. However, indications are this is a significant proportion of RCN E-Waste Ltd’s contracted obligations.

All other recyclers involved in the programme are meeting their contractual obligations.

The TV Takeback initiative is a nationwide programme to divert televisions from going to landfill in a scheme that involved the Government working with a range of councils, recyclers and retailers to provide a nationwide network of subsidised options.

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

“TV Takeback has been a large-scale collection of e-waste with an emerging industry that has not operated at this scale before.

“It was an opportunity to divert a large quantity of waste that could have ended up in landfill and the programme was successful in motivating communities into taking action on waste.”