WA Government Allocates Over $6.5M for E-Waste Projects

  • Infrastructure Grants Program sees 21 projects share in more than $6.5 million
  • Projects to create more than 60 jobs and divert 17,000 tonnes of e-waste from landfill
  • First round of grants to support the ban of e-waste disposal to landfill from 2024

More than $6.5 million will be shared among 21 projects to boost Western Australia's recycling capacity of electrical and electronic waste.

E-waste includes items with a plug, battery or cord that are no longer working or wanted.

The Infrastructure Grants Program supports an election commitment to ban e-waste disposal to landfill from next year.

The first round of funding has been allocated to 21 projects, which are expected to divert more than 17,000 tonnes of e-waste from landfill. These will create a total of 62 jobs and increase e-waste storage, collection and processing for over 920,000 customers.

The projects include construction of e-waste management structures as well as the purchaseof specialty storage bins and recycling equipment.

Six projects are based in regional WA and include infrastructure, such as concrete slabs, sheds, shelters, sea containers and cages, for local governments to collect and manage e-waste prior to processing.

Nearly $2.4 million will go towards two photovoltaic recycling facilities to reduce the disposal of solar panels to landfill.The investment includes automated recycling equipment predicted to process an additional 22,000 solar panels per year.

Collection boxes for e-waste will be placed at four Containers for Change locations, including Wangara, Malaga, Kenwick and Cockburn, to encourage correct waste sorting.

WA's e-waste ban will include large household appliances such as white goods, mobile phones, televisions, computers, screens, data storage, batteries, medical equipment, lighting and lamps.

Future phases of the ban would capture small household appliances like kettles, toasters and vacuums, as well as photovoltaic systems including solar panels, to support national harmonisation such as the Federal Government's planned e-stewardship actions.

A second round of grant funding is scheduled for next year.

As stated by Environment Minister Reece Whitby:

"E-waste is a rapidly growing stream of waste and this funding will increase reuse and recycling pathways for electrical and electronic items as well as create jobs.

"Banning e-waste disposal to landfill means we can recover valuable materials that would otherwise be lost, and in the process, build local industries as well as protect the environment.

"This is an important step in moving our State closer to its goal of a circular economy. I look forward to seeing these projects delivered and in operation."

Stream 1 E-waste collection and storage and/or reuse infrastructure grants

Organisation

Project Title

Project Description

Funding Allocation

City of Belmont

Construction of e-waste storage shed at Belmont's Operations Centre

City of Belmont will construct a storage shed to increase collection and storage capacity and protect e-waste from the weather, while providing capacity for a further 10 tonnes of waste to be diverted from landfill.

$8,527

Ecocycle Pty Ltd

Procurement of specialized e-waste storage bins

Ecocycle will procure e-waste bins to provide large scale bulk collection and storage for approximately 1,325 tonnes of e-waste.

$250,000

Mindarie Regional Council

Construction of concrete base and storage shed at Tamala Park

Mindarie Regional Council will construct a concrete base and storage shed providing increased capacity to source, separate and store an extra 80 tonnes of e-waste per year.

$38,000

Recycle IT Australia

Procurement of commercial customer e-waste storage bins

Recycle IT will purchase bins to collect a further 47 tonnes of e-waste prior for use in office spaces, server rooms or building waste storage facilities.

$55,400

Sam's Spares Incorporated

Sam's Spares workshop expansion for e-waste reuse

Sam's Spares will purchase tools, storage and workbenches to provide capacity and capability for 735 tonnes of e-waste to be repaired and refurbished.

$232,747

Scouts Association of Western Australia

Establishment of e-waste collection points

Scouts will begin using e-waste collection bins and a bin lifter to enable safe collection, storage and handling of e-waste and help divert 8 tonnes from landfill.

$56,923

Shire of Broome

Establishment of an e-waste drop off facility

The Shire of Broome will create a permanent e-waste drop off facility by constructing a concrete slab, procurement of sea containers and collapsible stillages for easy accessibility in both wet and dry seasons.

$81,664

Shire of Cranbrook

Increased e-waste storage capacity at Rubbish Tip Road

The Shire of Cranbrook will construct a concrete slab and shed increasing storage capacity for approximately 2 tonnes of e-waste.

$22,000

Shire of Dardanup

Improved e-waste capacity at waste transfer station

The Shire of Dardanup will construct a concrete slab and shed and purchase storage cages, diverting 15 tonnes of e-waste per year.

$21,749

Shire of Merredin

Establish increased e-waste collection at Merredin waste transfer facility

The Shire of Merredin will extend its e-waste storage concrete slab and construct a new shed to increase capacity to support a further 8 tonnes of e-waste diverted from landfill.

$75,680

Shire of Northam

Provide e-waste collection at Inkpen waste management facility

The Shire of Northam will purchase a sea container for e-waste storage at Inkpen waste management facility in Wundowie prior to onward processing, providing e-waste recycling options for the greater region.

$5,300

Shire of Victoria Plains

Provision of E-waste recycling across the Shire of Victoria Plains

The Shire of Victoria Plains will provide e-waste collection at three waste management facilities in Calingiri, Bolgart and Mogumber by pouring concrete slabs and constructing sheds to house e-waste. Specialised mobile and collapsible stillages will also be purchased.

$230,795

Shire of Waroona

Construction of e-waste structure at Buller Road

The Shire of Waroona will construct a covered structure to store e-waste at Buller Road refuse disposal site prior to onward processing.

$17,000

Total Green Recycling Pty Ltd

Procurement of reuse storage cages to increase source separation

Total Green will purchase asset recovery cages facilitating e-waste source separation prior to survey for repurpose and reuse or recycling opportunities.

$131,850

Total Green Recycling Pty Ltd

Increase operational bin storage capacity across the State's e-waste network

Total Green will purchase operational cages to increase e-waste collection and storage in the e-waste collection network.

$151,200

Stream 2 E-waste reprocessing and recycling infrastructure grants

Organisation

Project Title

Project Description

Funding Allocation

Auscon Metals Pty Ltd

Construction of e-waste facility and implementation of processing plant

Auscon will construct a concrete floor and covered building including the purchase of an e-waste processing plant. The equipment provides processing capacity of 10,000 tonnes of e-waste per year.

$556,500

Cyber Computer Recycling and Disposal Pty Ltd

Establishment of a comprehensive solar photovoltaic recycling facility

Cyber Recycling will purchase automated solar photovoltaic recycling equipment providing increased recycling capacity. The current process recycles 2,000 solar panels per year, with the new equipment increasing processing to 22,000 panels per year.

$456,000

Recycle IT Australia (Datawest Group Pty Ltd)

E-waste recycling, shredding and secure data wiping plant upgrades

Recycle IT will purchase an e-waste shredder and degausser to maximise recycling and data wiping. The current process has the capability to process 5 devices per hour. This will increase to 20 devices per hour and eliminate the need for manual processing.

$80,713

Scipher Technologies PTY Ltd

Advanced photovoltaic panel recycling project

Scipher will purchase and commission an advanced photovoltaics panel recycling system providing increased recovery and recycling capacity. The project will provide 80% material diversion from landfill.

$1,919,890

Secure Computer Recycling and Disposal (SCRD) Pty Ltd

Mobile sanitization racking and equipment

SCRD will purchase and utilise mobile data sanitization racking and equipment assisting in the diversion of up to 10,000 hard drives, or 10 tonne, from landfill per year, providing greater reuse opportunities.

$169,250

Total Green Recycling Pty Ltd

E-waste recycling plant infrastructure upgrade

Total Green Recycling will purchase an e-waste unloading conveyor, install a flat panel deconstruction line and upgrade a secondary shredder and separator. The equipment will increase capacity to 5,000 tonnes of e-waste per year, improve material diversion rates from landfill and reduce processing costs for customers.

$1,975,325

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