Unwanted TVs pour into recycling site

Over two thousand unwanted TVs were dropped off on the first weekend of TV Takeback in Hastings.

Hastings District Council Waste Minimisation Officer Dominic Salmon says “Saturday was an incredibly busy day for the nine staff at the Mitre Ten Mega site is St Aubyn Street. In the seven hours from 9am – 4pm, 1740 TVs were brought to the site. That equates to 248 TVs per hour or four per minute. Sunday was a little quieter with 1020 TVs delivered.

“The weekend saw a total of 2760 TV’s that will be sent for recycling, 1450 vehicles visited the site and the TV’s have filled 13 shipping containers.”

Mr Salmon says “The free recycling site will be in operation each day until the 28th October including Hawke’s Bay Anniversary weekend. Residents should continue to bring their unwanted TV’s to the recycling site but if you can’t make it by the end of the free period, they will still be accepted at the Environment Centre or the Henderson Road recycling centre, but there will be a small charge.”

Hawke’s Bay was one of the first regions in New Zealand to have the television signal go digital and this has caused an upsurge in the number of older style TVs which are no longer wanted. Hastings District Council has teamed up with RCN e-Cycle and the Hawke’s Bay Environment Centre to offer the free recycling period. Television sets contain material which can be harmful to the environment while many parts can be recycled and reused.

The free recycling period is for TVs only. Other electronic waste should be disposed of in the normal manner.

Hastings District Council has partnered with RCN e-Cycle and the Environment Centre as part of the TV Takeback project with funding for the recycling of the TVs being provided from the Governments Waste Minimisation Fund. TV Takeback is a project of the Ministry for the Environment. For more information visit www.tvtakeback.govt.nz

Free TV recycling

Where: Former Mitre Ten Mega site, St Aubyn Street Hastings

When: Runs daily until Sunday 28th October

Time: 9am until 4pm daily

ends

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