2015
FACT SHEET
This fact sheet provides information about the role of co-regulatory arrangements under the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme.
What is a co-regulatory arrangement?
The Product Stewardship Act 2011 requires that all liable parties (corporations that imported or manufactured products covered by the Product Stewardship (Televisions and Computers) Regulations 2011 in the previous financial year) must join an approved co-regulatory arrangement by the membership census date each year, which is 1 September. The co-regulatory arrangement organises collection and recycling of e-waste on behalf of their liable party members. Arrangements may have one liable party member or multiple liable parties participating.
A co-regulatory arrangement requires an administrator. The administrator is the body corporate responsible for administering the arrangement on behalf of members, and must ensure all reasonable steps are taken to meet outcomes specified in the Regulations. Co-regulatory arrangements must be approved by the Minister (or delegate).
What is a co-regulatory arrangement required to do?
Under the Regulations, co-regulatory arrangements are required to achieve three key outcomes:
- Provision of reasonable access to collection services
- Meeting annual recycling targets
- Meeting a material recovery target.
Reasonable access
Reasonable access is defined in the Regulations by a set of metrics that include specific, minimum requirements for access to collection services in metropolitan, inner regional, outer regional and remote areas.
Scheme target
The scheme target is a proportion of the available television and computer waste in a financial year. In 2015-16 it will be 50 per cent rising incrementally to 80 per cent in 2026-27. A co-regulatory arrangement’s recycling target is the weight of products it must recycle in a given financial year. This is calculated based on a methodology set out in the Regulations. Each arrangement’s recycling target is a share of the overall scheme target.
Material recovery target
The material recovery target requires each co-regulatory arrangement to ensure that at least 90 per cent of the weight of material they recycle in a financial year is sent for further processing into useable materials. This is consistent with the estimated average material recovery rate currently being reported by Australian recyclers of televisions and computers. This target came into effect on 1 July 2014.
Ensuring health and safety
From 1 July 2016, co-regulatory arrangements must ensure that all recycling under the scheme is done by e-waste recyclers certified to AS 5377: the Australian Standard for the collection, storage, transport and treatment of end-of-life electrical and electronic equipment.
This will ensure a consistent industry standard for recycling scheme providers and ensure positive work health and safety outcomes. This start date will allow adequate transition time for industry.
Additional matters
Co-regulatory arrangements must also deal with the following matters:
- Governance of the arrangement
- Financial arrangements and funding
- Procedures relating to membership of the arrangement
- Communicating information to the public about how its services can be accessed
- Assessing the adequacy of the environmental, health and safety policies and practices in the collection, storage, transportation and recycling of products.
More information
For more information on the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme visit the Department of the Environment website at: www.environment.gov.au/ewaste or contact ewaste@environment.gov.au or call the Product Stewardship Line on 1800 332 783.
Fact sheet last updated on 01/07/15