Erase e-waste
Batteries, vapes, phones, laptops and other electronic items are part of everyday life, but they need special care when they reach the end of their useful life. If they are placed in household rubbish or kerbside recycling, they can create safety risks for drivers and transfer station staff.
We are encouraging residents to safely recycle their e-waste by using the battery sheds at our Refuse Transfer Stations in Matamata, Morrinsville and Waihou. The sheds can accept batteries and vapes, helping keep hazardous materials out of landfill and reducing the chance of fires in trucks and waste facilities.
Why e-waste needs to be handled carefully
E-waste is any item with a plug, battery or circuit board. This includes items such as mobile phones, laptops, tablets, power tools, chargers, toys with batteries, vapes and household batteries.
Many of these items contain valuable materials that can be recovered, such as copper, aluminium, steel and small amounts of precious metals. Some also contain batteries or other parts that can become dangerous if crushed, overheated or damaged. Lithium batteries, which are commonly found in vapes, phones and laptops, can start fires if they are put in the wrong bin.
Using a dedicated drop-off point means these items can be collected, sorted and sent to facilities that are set up to handle them safely.
What happens to recycled e-waste?
Where possible, items are repaired or refurbished so they can be used again. For example, an old laptop may be repaired, wiped of data and passed on for reuse, while parts from a broken device may help repair another item.
When items cannot be reused, they are dismantled and separated into different material streams. Metals can be recovered for use in new products, plastics may be processed into recycled plastic products, and batteries can be sent for specialist treatment to recover materials.
How to prepare e-waste for recycling
- Remove any personal information from phones, tablets, laptops and storage devices before recycling them. Back up anything you want to keep, then reset the device if you can.
- Take out removable batteries where possible and keep them separate from other e-waste.
- Tape over the terminals of loose batteries, especially lithium batteries, to help prevent short circuits.
- Do not crush, bend, puncture or take apart batteries or vapes.
- If a battery is swollen, leaking, hot or damaged, keep it away from heat and flammable materials and ask transfer station staff for advice before placing it in a collection container.
- Keep e-waste dry and store it in a container or box until you are ready to drop it off.
- Include chargers, cables and accessories if they belong with the item, as these may help with reuse or recycling.
- Follow the signs and staff instructions at the transfer station.
Drop-off locations and opening times
The battery sheds are open at our Refuse Transfer Stations in Matamata, Morrinsville and Waihou between 10am and 4pm on selected days.
Before you visit, check the latest transfer station information and accepted items at mpdc.nz/RTSoptions
Every battery, vape or electronic item recycled safely is one less item going to landfill and one more opportunity to recover useful materials. By taking a few simple steps at home, residents can help protect people, reduce waste and give old technology a new life.
