Manage electronic waste for reprocessing

Learn about how to manage electronic waste (e-waste) for reprocessing.

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Electronic waste (e-waste) is stored before it's reprocessed. For example, it can be stored at:

  • local council transfer stations
  • resource recovery centres
  • other collection points.

Poor management of e-waste poses a large risk to human health and the environment. This is particularly from:

  • fire
  • air emissions
  • dust
  • ground contamination from e-waste liquid components.

Always assume there are batteries present in your e-waste. Batteries may be separate or embedded inside devices. Batteries have a greater risk of fire than other types of e-waste. When managing any type of e-waste, make sure your risk management practices are consistent with the risks posed by batteries.

You must:

Transport e-waste

When transporting priority waste to a place authorised to reprocess it, you must meet the:

The waste code that applies is T300 (e-waste).

Learn about transporting industrial waste.

If you are transporting e-waste, particularly batteries, you may have additional obligations under the Australian Code for the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Road and Rail(opens in a new window).

Store e-waste

Only store e-waste for reprocessing.

You can store e-waste alongside other types of e-waste or general waste as long as it does not prevent recovery. For example, TVs, computers and toys can be collected together if your waste reprocessor is able to receive and recover these materials.

For information on storing used lead acid-batteries, view Transport or store used lead-acid batteries.

Reprocess e-waste

Methods of reprocessing e-waste include:

  • manual dismantling
  • shredding
  • crushing or compacting
  • thermal treatment
  • hydrometallurgy.

Businesses that reprocess e-waste must:

Risk management for e-waste storage and reprocessing

To meet the general environmental duty, you must adopt a risk management process. This is where risks are:

  • identified
  • assessed
  • eliminated or reduced.

Identify and assess risk

Poor storage and handling can contaminate land and groundwater.

Unsafe storage of e-waste increases the risk of fire. Fire can:

  • pollute waterways with run-off from firewater, combustion products and firefighting chemicals
  • pollute air with toxic smoke
  • harm employees, visitors, contractors, emergency service personnel and others on site
  • harm neighbours and the broader community with toxic smoke, asbestos or other reactive dusts.

To assess the risk of harm from an e-waste fire, consider:

  • distances between storage piles
  • access to and around the site for firefighting authorities
  • if the minimum site access requirements of the firefighting authorities have been adopted
  • if firewater run-off could enter the environment
  • how far away the nearest waterway is
  • if a fire has happened in the electronic waste industry before and, if so, what the consequences were
  • if there have been any near misses at your site
  • if variations in your operating conditions could increase risk.

Eliminate and reduce risks

First you must take action to eliminate risk so far as reasonably practicable. Where risks cannot be eliminated, you must reduce them.

Consider what controls are suitable and available to the business to eliminate or reduce the risk.

Examples of controls to reduce risk from e-waste are:

  • not accepting types of e-waste that you cannot appropriately manage or store
  • using appropriate infrastructure to store e-waste – for example, storing it on an impermeable surface and covering it to keep it from getting wet
  • separating and storing e-waste away from other waste
  • meeting the requirements for storing combustible waste
  • minimising how long e-waste is stored
  • avoiding high-risk activities where possible, such as e-waste compaction or crushing
  • isolating areas where high-risk activities occur
  • using engineering controls to capture dust, vapours or liquids generated from e-waste reprocessing or handling
  • transporting e-waste in a manner that avoids breakage and prevents dust escaping
  • training staff to appropriately handle types of e-waste
  • providing relevant signs and instruction.

Find more information about managing the collection and storage of different types of waste batteries in our Storage and management of waste batteries – guideline.

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