TV Recycling Facility Opens in New Zealand

New Zealand’s Environment Minister has officially opened a new recycling facility that will be able to process as many as 80,000 televisions per year. Abilities Group, a nonprofit organization based in Auckland, New Zealand, used $110,000 from New Zealand’s Waste Minimisation Fund to open the Glenfield, New Zealand, facility. When fully operational, the plant is expected to divert up to 750,000 metric tons of material per year from landfills.

“Unwanted televisions are a hazard if not dealt with responsibly, and initiatives like this are crucial in ensuring harmful materials are not released into soil or waterways,” says Amy Adams, New Zealand environment minister. “This is one of a number of e-waste initiatives the government has funded through the Waste Minimisation Fund.

“Our aim is to build New Zealand’s e-waste processing infrastructure to ensure we have the facilities in place to meet future demand. This initiative is a further step towards New Zealand better managing the 80,000 metric tons of electronic waste created each year from used televisions, computers, cell phones and printers,” she continues.

Abilities, founded in 1959, also processes plastic wrap, cardboard and packaging.