8 November 2011
A national recycling scheme for televisions
and computers came a step closer today with
the making of regulations under the new
Product Stewardship Act.
The Product Stewardship
(Televisions and Computers) Regulations
come into effect from today.
Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability
and Urban Water, Senator Don Farrell, said
the regulations were an important step towards
implementing the industry-led scheme, which
aims to boost the recycling rate for televisions
and computer to 80 per cent by 2020-21.
"We've reached a significant milestone
with these regulations and it's fitting
that they commence this week, which is National
Recycling Week," Senator Farrell said.
"The commencement of these regulations
means that the television and computer industry
can now apply for approval of their recycling
arrangements, which will be responsible
for the roll-out of collection services
across Australia and for delivering on the
scheme's recycling targets.
"The television and computer industry
will also be able to get credit for early
recycling action from 8 November 2011 towards
their first recycling target of 30 per cent.
Senator Farrell said the making of the regulations
follows nearly two years of extensive consultations
with industry, NGOs, consumer groups, local
and state governments.
"Industry, states and territory and
local governments have been working closely
with the Australian Government on a scheme
to reduce television and computer waste
to landfill and increase the recovery of
valuable resources from these products,"
he said.
"TVs and computers contain valuable
materials like gold, glass and plastics
that can be re-used. They also contain hazardous
materials like lead, bromine, mercury and
zinc that are better kept out of the environment."
The scheme will be implemented by the television
and computer industry and regulated by the
Government.
Households and small businesses will be
able to drop off their unwanted televisions
or computers at a designated service point,
free of charge. Collection services will
be progressively rolled out by industry
across Australia over the next two years
and will start being available in 2012.
The Product Stewardship Act commenced on
8 August 2011 and is a key element of the
National Waste Policy.
+ More
Significant Step Forward
for Marine Protected Areas in the Southern
Ocean
4 November 2011
The Gillard Government has welcomed today's
decision on establishing marine protected
areas in the Southern Ocean as a significant
advance in Antarctic protection.
After two weeks of negotiations
in Hobart, the Commission for the Conservation
of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR)
has finalised a conservation agreement which
creates a roadmap for establishing a representative
system of marine protected areas in the
Southern Ocean.
The historic agreement,
finalised over the last hour, clears the
way for specific marine protected area proposals
to be considered by the Commission this
time next year.
Minister for the Environment,
Tony Burke, hailed the agreement as a major
breakthrough.
"This is one of
the most significant advances in the protection
of oceans in Antarctica since the establishment
of CCAMLR," Mr Burke said.
"It is the beginning
of nations showing the same respect to waters
around the Antarctic that was shown to Antarctica
itself when Bob Hawke led the campaign to
prevent mining 20 years ago.
"Creating this
roadmap is only the beginning of a process
to determine marine protected areas but
just getting this far is a massive advance.
"Today's decision
says that the Southern Ocean is a foundation
stone for marine life, not a resource to
be treated like a quarry.
"CCAMLR has always
been a leader in protecting the Southern
Ocean, but agreeing on this roadmap reinforces
CCAMLR leadership in marine conservation.
"Australia has
led the development of this proposal and
today's decision demonstrates the collaborative
spirit within CCAMLR."
In 2009 CCAMLR agreed
to work towards a representative system
of marine protected areas within the Convention
Area - an area of the Southern Ocean which
it governs - by 2012. That same year, the
Commission declared its first marine protected
area south of the South Orkney Islands near
the Antarctic Peninsula.
The general measure
adopted today will guide countries, including
Australia, on the preparation of individual
marine protected areas proposed for adoption
by the Commission in 2012 and beyond.
These proposals
have already been carefully considered by
CCAMLR scientists over the past two years,
and Australia, together with France, has
already begun work towards establishing
a representative system of marine protected
areas in East Antarctica.
