Principle 2: Prioritise reuse

The reuse of equipment for its original purpose should be the first option considered by those disposing of equipment. If equipment cannot be reused, recycling of its constituent parts is the next best option.

There are many opportunities for WEEE and WEEE components to be repaired, reused, refurbished, upgraded and redistributed. This can be through informal reuse or through refurbishment operations (such as those located at transfer stations or resource recovery parks for household items and remarketers of IT equipment for business equipment). Reused equipment can be donated to not-for-profit organisations who cannot afford new equipment, either in New Zealand or overseas.

Although generally reuse is the most favourable environmental option, a range of factors can affect the commercial viability of reuse, including the:

  • cost of reuse
  • market price for the reused item compared with the new product
  • demand for reused equipment.

The reuse market extends beyond New Zealand, and it may be economically viable to export to an overseas market for reuse where this is not attractive to the New Zealand consumer market. However, sending equipment that is obsolete, an old model, or with limited life left is equivalent to sending waste. An increasing number of countries are refusing to permit the import of donated equipment for reuse for this reason. Issues relating to reuse and safeguards that need to be considered are covered in the section on exporting hazardous WEEE.

 

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Last updated:15 March 2011