Kaibosh

www.mfe.govt.nz
EPA BFR Guidance
The Environmental Protection
Authority has recently published
guidelines on the export of
electronic waste (e-waste). E-waste
is defined as obsolete, broken or
end of life electrical or electronic
devices and it is one of the fastest
growing categories of hazardous
waste in the world.
New Zealand is signatory to
international conventions which
prevent hazardous waste from being
shipped from developed countries
to inappropriate facilities in less
developed countries.
You cannot export hazardous waste
out of New Zealand without a permit.
This includes plastics that include
Brominated Flame Retardants
(BFRs) which are commonly used in
electronic goods. A permit must be
obtained from the EPA, the agency
responsible for administering the
relevant regulations.
Many items of electronic waste are
hazardous and they have special
requirements for transportation and
treatment. Without the right permit,
shipments of hazardous e-waste may
be seized at a New Zealand port or
may be refused entry en route, or
at the destination. This could cost
the exporter time and money. The
export of e-waste is not necessarily
banned but it is closely controlled
through the permitting system.
The EPA, along with its new
information sheet for exporters of
e-waste, offers a raft of information
on its website that helps exporters
work through the processes to gain a
permit. The guidelines can be found
at: www.epa.govt.nz/Publications/
Exportelectronicwaste.pdf
TVTB updates : Do you want updates on TV TakeBack?
The Ministry for the Environment is putting together a mailing list for people interested in staying up to
date with news on the Government’s TV TakeBack programme. If you would like to receive updates please
email tvtakeback@mfe.govt.nz with “Add TVTB mailing list” in the subject line.
Visy Recycling Education Centre
Learning about the environment and how we can all play our part in
protecting and improving it is now an established part of the school curricula.
At Visy Recycling we provide educational tours not only for school groups but
also for community groups and businesses to learn more about what happens
to their recycling once it leaves the kerbside.
Tours are run Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at our Onehunga Material
Recovery Facility (MRF) bookings are essential.
Please contact
Meredith Graham
Education & Marketing Manager
for more information.
Ph (09) 975 2003
meredith.graham@visy.co.nz | www.visy.co.nz