A national TV take back scheme is urgently needed, according to Hepburn Shire Council in Central Victoria. At its April meeting, Council supported Councillor Jon Barrell’s idea for a scheme to ensure old televisions are recycled.
Consequently, the Shire will now write to the Victorian Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Innovation, Gavin Jennings, and the Federal Minister for Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Peter Garrett, calling for a decision at the May 2009 Meeting of the Environment Protection and Heritage Council to introduce a national ‘TV Take Back’ scheme.
Council will also support a motion at the May 2009 Municipal Association of Victoria State Council in support of a national extended responsibility scheme on televisions.
Councillor Barrell said analogue TV sets are going to landfill, which is already presenting a problem.
“This will increase as more analogue units are upgraded to digital in preparation for the switch to digital broadcasting at the end of 2013,” he said.
“There are materials in analogue television sets that can be salvaged and recycled. Those that cannot, such as lead, should be prevented from entering the waste stream due to health risks.
“The problem of e-waste, which includes TV sets, has been flagged by Federal and State Governments, business and environment groups, but no concrete resolutions or actions have yet been taken and we would like to see this occur.
“The scheme could involve TV manufacturers being involved in the collection and recycling of used TVs funded by a small recycling fee at the time of purchase.”
