As part of our ongoing campaign to stop toxic ewaste fouling the environment and to grow the circular economy, today we are launching a renewed website dedicated to securing real action to reduce the environmental harms arising from our use of electronic and electrical products, and the resulting e-waste. Visit the new website now!

E-waste remains an under-reported and growing environmental hazard, with Australia currently on track to generate more than 650,000 tonnes of e-waste annually. At present, only about half of our e-waste is collected for recycling—far short of the UN’s target for industrialised nations to recycle at least 85% of e-waste by 2030. Significant gaps include effective stewardship over small electrical and electronic devices including batteries and vapes; larger household appliances like fridges and washing machines, home battery storage and the increasing risk of pollutants from gas and water use associated with larger electronic equipment.  

While electrical and electronic products may enhance our daily lives, their production, use and disposal have significant environmental and human health impacts. These impacts arise from the mining and refinement of raw materials; energy and chemical use during transport and production; gas, water and energy use during operation; chemical leaching, off-gassing and emissions both during and after use, and contributions to the growing microplastics menace from their plastic components.  These factors contribute significantly to the planetary threats of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and waste and pollution. Just as these impacts will affect the whole of society, we need whole-of-society responses to reduce these risks and work towards restoring the harm already done.

Our new E-waste Watch website will create a platform for experts and activists to raise awareness of the issues and the solutions to e-waste. We will be sending a clear message that we need a swift and well-regulated shift to a truly circular economy, where:

• Product producers prioritise waste and pollution reduction at every stage of their product's lifecycle, and 
• Polluters pay to mitigate the environmental harms they create,
• Well-regulated stewardship sets meaningful targets with transparent tracking, 
•  The right to repair is not only enshrined in law, but also facilitated and funded,
• Markets for materials recovered from recycling are supported 
• Standards of durability, repair and recyclability are set to eliminate built-in obsolescence and short-lived consumer goods
• Consumers have access to all relevant information at purchase, without greenwash 
• Higher order actions from the waste management hierarchy are prioritised over recycling
• Industry contributes to a Nature Positive future

The E-waste Watch is based on the previous website of the same name, operated by the Ewaste Watch Institute, whom we thank for their generous donation.

Additional articles will be released on the E-waste Watch website periodically.

If you are interested in contributing ideas or content to the E-waste Watch website, please email [email protected]