2003 Year of Great Waste Debate: Time for Producers to Make Products Cleaner

Thursday, 01 May 2003 10:00

"Poor product design is to blame for the rising mountains of landfill surrounding our cities," said Jeff Angel, Director of Total Environment Centre. "Producers must start thinking about what happens to products after the consumer has used them, and design them to be less toxic and more easily recyclable."

"Products such as computers are toxic cocktails of lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium," Mr Angel said. "When they go to landfill, they can leach into the environment, posing a threat to the community's health and to ecosystems."

Over 3 million computers enter NSW each year and most end up in landfills, accounting for 2000 - 5000 tonnes of hazardous waste annually. The Environment Protection Authority has put computer producers on notice to take action, threatening to impose regulations if they do nothing to stem the flow.

"Dumping these products is also a huge waste of valuable, non-renewable resources. Rare materials such as gold, platinum and silver are lost forever when they go to landfill. Requiring producers to take back their products sends a long overdue message for them to make their products cleaner and less wasteful," said Mr Angel.