Australians discard electronic devices at three times the global average, and experts warn the problem could escalate. With Microsoft ending support for an older operating system, millions of devices could soon become obsolete and end up in landfill.
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00:00As technology accelerates, so too does Australia's electronic waste problem.
00:10Companies like this are trying to save what they can from landfill.
00:13If we absolutely can't refurbish the acid and resell it into our global networks that
00:18we have around the world, then we'll recycle the acid.
00:22Australia generates about 500,000 tonnes of e-waste annually.
00:27That means each Australian produces about 20 kilograms of e-waste a year, compared
00:32with the global average of 7 kilograms.
00:35About half is recycled.
00:37E-waste is projected to rise nearly 30 per cent by 2030.
00:43Microsoft's decision to end support for its Windows 10 operating system in October
00:48could add another 240 million PCs to the global scrapheap.
00:53There will be a lot of devices that are not able to run that new version.
00:58Australia alone, that could equate to 12 million kilograms of PCs and acids going into landfill.
01:07Australia does have a mandatory industry-funded scheme for recycling e-waste, but it only
01:12covers TVs and computers.
01:15The peak body for the recycling industry, ACOR, says the scheme is far from perfect
01:20and lacks transparency.
01:23It wants urgent action to ensure the producers of all types of electronic products are held
01:29responsible for the waste they create.
01:32There are also calls for Australia to broaden its right to repair laws.
01:37The co-founder of this social enterprise, which collects e-waste, says some companies
01:41make it difficult to replace parts.
01:44Technology is constantly turned over and updated, and so there is almost a built-in obsolescence.
01:50A waste problem that could be solved.