MEDIA RELEASE
       
DATE:    24 SEPTEMBER 2008
 
National computer recycling event launches - eDay aims to clean up Bay of Plenty’s e-waste
 
Bay of Plenty residents can dispose of their old computers and mobile phones at eDay on Saturday 4 October.
eDay is a free computer recycling event being held in 32 centres throughout New Zealand. It is expected to divert 1000 tonnes of potentially toxic waste from landfills.
 
The drive-through event enables residents in the Bay of Plenty to recycle their old computer equipment and mobile phones in an environmentally-friendly way. It aims to raise awareness about the environmental and health dangers of dumping electronic waste (e-waste) in landfills.
 
Following the success of last year’s event, eDay will be held again at three venues in the Bay on Saturday 4 October from 9am until 3pm.  The venues are:
 
Tauranga – Satara Cool Store, Totara Street, Mount Maunganui;
 
Rotorua – Former Challenge petrol station, corner of Te Ngae Road and Hamiora Place; and
 
Whakatane – Recycling Park, Te Tahi Road.
Environment Bay of Plenty’s Pollution Prevention Manager Bruce Gardner said: “last year’s event showed us that local residents have been looking for a way to recycle their old computer equipment for some time and we’re pleased to be running the event in the Bay of Plenty again this year”.
The local event is part of a national eDay being held in 32 centres across the country. New Zealand’s first national eDay, held in 2007, diverted 415 tonnes of e-waste from landfills.
 
The annual eDay event is the only community-driven e-waste recycling event for dropping off computer items such as monitors, CPUs and printers, at no cost to the public 
 
Only computers, computer equipment such as printers and scanners, gaming consoles and mobile phones can be recycled in the eDay collection. Other electronic equipment including televisions and stereos will not be accepted.
 
You are advised to wipe all data from computer hard drives as well as removable media such as floppy disks and PC cards before handing them over for collection.

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