On Wednesday 29 June, AIIA outlined its recommendations for a voluntary industry-wide take-back and recycling scheme to help achieve its goal of zero-waste to landfill.

The report is the result of a major project by AIIA to identify ways to reduce the volume of PCs, printers and peripherals that end up in landfill. AIIA and its members have invested more than $250,000 in cash and resources – on top of their existing environmental programs and commitments – in the project.

AIIA – E-Waste – Program Development Phase is the result of more than two years work commencing with the pilot recycling scheme Recycle IT! and culminating in this report.

James McAdam, General Manager, Strategy and Policy Services, AIIA, said, “The report released today is the result of considerable research into the environmental challenges facing the ICT industry and our recommendations for an equitable, viable solution.”

The proposal was developed in conjunction with environmental consultants, Planet Ark and recommends a small fee on all new equipment sold in Australia to cover its future recycling costs.

The scheme will initially deal with future waste, but AIIA remains fully committed to working with government and other stakeholders to leverage the infrastructure created by the scheme to develop an equitable solution that deals with historic waste. Such a solution would need to cover the entire computer industry, including the significant white box (unbranded PC) segment.

James McAdam, General Manager, Strategy and Policy Services, AIIA: “The report released today is the result of considerable research into the environmental challenges facing the ICT industry and our recommendations for an equitable, viable solution.”

Mr McAdam said the scheme takes account of product stewardship principles and has been designed to share the responsibility equitably between manufacturers, government and consumers.

“Computer recycling is an incredibly complex issue and we have needed to develop a scheme that quickly addresses the electronic waste currently being produced. AIIA member companies have accepted their responsibility, but we need government to help ensure we have a level playing field in addressing the issue of historic and orphan waste.

“The concept of shared responsibility means that Government and industry need to work together to develop a fair and equitable scheme that meets the interests and needs of all parties. We welcome any and all suggestions that enable a fair and equitable financial model and that upholds our aspiration of zero waste to landfill,” Mr McAdam said.

Key recommendations from the AIIA report include:
• a solution to the community challenge posed by the significant numbers of end-of-life PCs in Australia will require co-operation from consumers, retailers, government and the IT industry;
• AIIA proposes to work with members on the establishment of an industry-based Producer Responsibility Organisation (PRO) with an initial brief to design a forward looking e-waste scheme focusing on take-back from the local community which would cover all computer products sold after an agreed start date;
• the AIIA report recommends the introduction of a recycling guarantee built into the cost of equipment to fund the cost of its recycling once it reaches the end of its useful life;
• companies will have the choice of leveraging the industry PRO, or running their own scheme, subject to agreed minimum standards; and
• support from government to ensure the more environmentally responsible vendors who support PC recycling - either through their own system or through and industry wide scheme - are not put at a competitive disadvantage to those who do not.

“AIIA and our industry partners now look forward to working closely with government and other stakeholders on the implementation aspects of our scheme,” Mr McAdam said.

The report, AIIA – E-Waste – Program Development Phase, can be downloaded from the AIIA website.