Electrical and electronic waste (e-waste)

Electronic and electrical waste, or ‘e-waste’, covers a range of items we all use and discard at work and at home. It includes, but is not limited to, televisions, computers, mobile phones, kitchen appliances and white goods.  

While e-waste is not one of the main waste streams generated in Australia, it is one of the fastest growing and has significant opportunities for material recovery.

E-waste contains materials which may present risks to human health and the environment if not disposed of appropriately. It also contains recoverable materials, often including materials that are high in value.

Banning e-waste from disposal to landfill supports the state government’s vision for a low-carbon Western Australia with a healthy environment and secure water resources for future generations. The ban also supports the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 vision for the state to become a sustainable, low-waste, circular economy in which human health and the environment are protected from the impacts of waste.

Consultation closed on 31 March 2023: https://consult.dwer.wa.gov.au/waste-policy/ban-on-e-waste-disposal-to-landfill-in-western-aus/

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation will administer $10 million in grant funding over the next two years through a series of competitive grant rounds. The grants will support the ban by funding increased e-waste collection, storage and/or reuse including e-waste processing/recycling.

The application process for Grant Round 1 opened on 6 February 2023. For more information on how to apply, please visit the E-waste Infrastructure Grants Program.

Information and data on e-waste can be found in the 2021 report on Western Australian Material Flows Analysis [PDF 6 MB].

Unwanted electronics can be reused by giving them to someone who does want them, such as family, friends or neighbours. E-waste unable to be reused or repaired may be collected by local councils, or taken to a drop-off point.

E-waste management initiatives in WA aim to complement national action and support the Waste Avoidance and Resource Recovery Strategy 2030 objectives to avoid waste, recover more value and resources from waste, and protect the environment from the impacts of waste.

Western Australia supports implementation of national product stewardship schemes, where the schemes provide measurable benefits to the State.