What is the story with this electronics recycling. Is there any value in the recycled materials? Is someone clipping the ticket at both ends? ie. you pay to have it recycled and they get paid for the materials?

I see that the NZ Government is considering another tax on electronics (TVs) to cover recycling. They are pointing at old CRT TVs and monitors as having lead glass etc. as being toxic and expensive to dispose of. There can’t be too much of this older more toxic electronic gear left now. Most electronics has been produced lead free for some time, so toxicity should be a reducing problem.

Although volume may be rising with a shorter product life cycle, the simpler construction of basic steel, plastic, glass  and less actual electronics should simplify recycling and reduce the cost.

Maybe the NZ Government should put up the money to kick-start a central electronics breakers yard with the machinery to efficiently separate the base materials. I’d have thought that once separated these materials must be worth something to industry.

A new tax and department to manage it based on the relatively small amount of remaining semi-toxic equipment is a typical government dumb-ass approach that will just turn into another money grab. They will collect the tax and still charge at the recycling depot to take your old TV or stereo. But don’t worry they are doing it all with your best interests in mind; sure, like F@#K they are.