Warehouse Stationery launches recycling programme that makes it easier for more Kiwis to dispose of e-waste

Warehouse Stationery has launched a free e-waste recycling programme at six of its stores in partnership with TechCollect NZ, providing consumers and small businesses with a way to safely and conveniently dispose of their unwanted and end-of-life e-waste.

The roll out of the programme, which is a part of The Warehouse Group’s e-waste recycling expansion, will initially be available at 6 participating Warehouse Stationery stores nationwide and aims to divert thousands of kilograms of e-waste from landfill.

The initiative was launched in 16 Noel Leeming stores in February last year and more than 52 tonnes of e-waste has been collected to date.

E-waste is now the fastest-growing waste stream in the world. The average Kiwi generates more than 21 kilograms of e-waste each year and it is estimated that nearly 100,000 tonnes of e-waste is produced in New Zealand annually.

David Benattar, Chief Sustainability Officer at The Warehouse Group, says the company is proud to further support efforts to build Aotearoa’s circular e-waste future with the expansion of the initiative.

“We all have old or unwanted electronic equipment in the cupboard that we don’t know what to do with. Kiwis want to recycle but they often don’t know where to take their items, especially electronics. The programme expansion to Warehouse Stationary not only improves consumer access to an effective recycling solution for a significant waste stream but will also provide valuable insights to inform an ongoing regulated e-waste product stewardship system in New Zealand.”

“We are proud to be taking a leadership role, in partnership with TechCollect NZ and its members, in driving this important agenda and making it simpler for people to do the right thing.”

Michael Dudley, Senior Policy Manager, TechCollect NZ, says they are delighted to be working with Warehouse Stationery and The Warehouse Group to tackle the challenge of responsible e-waste management and forge the way towards Aotearoa’s circular e-waste future.

“The addition of 6 Warehouse Stationery stores to our national network means that Kiwis have even greater access to free recycling options for their unwanted and end-of-life ICT equipment.

With the support of The Warehouse Group, we will rescue valuable materials from landfill, help to create more jobs in NZ’s resource recovery sector, make the economy more resilient and achieve impressive environmental outcomes along the way.”

Items which are accepted as part of the programme include computers, laptops, notebooks, tablets, palmtops, CRT monitors and projectors, LCD, flat panel monitors, printers, scanners, multi-functional devices, cameras, video cameras and computer peripherals, including power supplies and adaptors. Customers are responsible for clearing personal data from devices prior to dropping it off in store for recycling.

Excluded products include televisions, white goods, non-IT electronics, loose batteries, toner and ink cartridges and mobile phones.

Customers can separately recycle any brand ink cartridges, toner cartridges, drum cartridges and labelling cassettes through Warehouse Stationery's Ink & Toner and Printer Cartridge recycling programme, available at any Warehouse Stationery store nationwide.

The stores participating in the recycling programme include Warehouse Stationery East Tamaki, Manukau, Hamilton, Petone, Coastlands (Paraparaumu) and South City (Christchurch).