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FAQ
- Who is running Byteback?
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Sustainability Victoria is running Byteback in partnership with the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) and founding partners Apple, Canon, Dell, Epson, Fujitsu, Fuji-Xerox, HP, IBM, Lenovo, and Lexmark.
- Why has Byteback been set up?
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Byteback has been set up to allow people to dispose of computer equipment that has reached the end of its useful life.
- How was Byteback developed?
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The first Byteback site was opened in June 2005 in Camberwell, Victoria, as an initiative of Sustainability Victoria and Hewlett-Packard. It is now expanding to cover more sites and is run in partnership with the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA) and nine other industry partners.
- Which is the closest Byteback site to me?
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Visit the Byteback locations page
- Who can use Byteback?
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Byteback is a free service for Victoria residents and small businesses.
- What can I take to Byteback?
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You can take up to 10 items from computer systems, including desktops, laptops, computer mice, monitors, printers, scanners, multifunction printers, keyboards, computer power supplies, printed circuit boards, motherboards, network cards, disk and CD drives.
- Are there any limits to what I can take to Byteback?
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Yes, there is a limit of 10 items and they must be from desktops, laptops, computer mice, monitors, printers, scanners, multifunction printers, keyboards, computer power supplies, printed circuit boards, motherboards, network cards, disk and CD drives.
Items not accepted by Byteback include joysticks, game consoles, electronic games, software, digital cameras, electronic equipment, TVs, videos, hi-fi equipment, mobile phones, printer cartridges and copiers.
- There are no Byteback sites near me. If I can't get to a Byteback site what other options do I have?
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If you cannot get to one of our site locations, or have a larger stockpile of equipment that you no longer want please consider other options to dispose of those products in a responsible way. Sustainability Victoria has a search engine on their website to find recycling services ('Find a Service'). Planet Ark have also developed a useful site with recycling information, www.recyclingnearyou.com.au.
- My business has a larger pile of computer equipment. If I can't use Byteback, what other options do I have?
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If you have a larger pile of computer equipment that is no longer needed, and you want to dispose of it in an environmentally-responsible way, please search for an appropriate service on the Sustainability Victoria website.
Planet Ark have also developed a useful site with recycling information, www.recyclingnearyou.com.au. - How much does it cost?
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Byteback is free to the public and small businesses.
- Why do computers need to be recycled?
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Australians are great users of computers and as a result we generate considerable amounts of end-of-life computer equipment. Byteback aims to keep this unwanted equipment out of landfill and recovers materials thorough environmentally-responsible recycling.
- How much of a problem is computer waste?
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Research undertaken in 2005 estimates that there are approximately 14 million computer and related peripherals items in Victorian households. In the order of 11 per cent of these are not in use or not working and hence are candidates for recycling. The good news is that a large percentage of old computer and printers can be recycled, thus saving valuable resources including precious metals which can be re-used.
- Where do the computers received by Byteback go?
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Computer equipment received through Byteback* is broken down into the following components:
- Plastics
Plastic represents over 30 per cent of scrap generated from computer equipment. To ensure that the greatest possible amount is recovered and to eliminate environmental impacts, plastic scrap is separated and granulated to reduce it to a size that enables it to be converted into pellets ready for re-use. - Printed Circuit Boards
The recycling of printed circuit boards, connectors and ICs is undertaken at Noranda Recycling in Canada because there is no disposal treatment facility in Australia that is capable of extracting the valuable metals they contain. The international transportation of printed circuit boards to Canada for smelting and refining raises no environmental concerns and is permitted under regulation. - Batteries
Nickel metal hydride, nickel cadmium and lithium batteries are sent to Societe Nouvelle D’Affinage Des Metaux in St. Quentin Fallavier in France for recycling. Lead batteries are recycled here in Australia. - Cathode Ray Tubes
A cathode ray tube [CRT] contains approximately 2 to 3 kilograms of lead which is encapsulated in glass. After removal of all non-glass components, the vacuum is released and the CRT broken. The funnel and panel glass is then exported to Mirec Asset Management in the Netherlands under permit, where the leaded glass is recovered for new CRT manufacture by LG Electronics.
CRT glass is packaged in a special container that prevents particles from being released into the atmosphere. - Printing Inks and Toner Cartridges
Toner cartridges are sent to Close-the-Loop in Somerton, Victoria, where they are recycled into raw materials for re-use in new toner cartridges. - Liquid Crystal Displays
Liquid crystal displays are back-lit with gas discharge lamps which contain mercury. They are sent to a specialised mercury recovery facility in America. - Glass
All recovered glass from electronic equipment is sold to Pilkington Australia, a glass manufacturer. - Metal
Both ferrous and non-ferrous metals are easily separated from other components by hand and are sent away for smelting here in Australia. In excess of 99 per cent of metal from electronic equipment is recovered, thereby ensuring the conservation of a non-renewable resource. - Insulated Wiring
Polyvinyl chloride [PVC]-covered wire, such as signal or power cables, are shredded and chopped to a small size and then granulated to separate the insulation from the copper wire. The remaining plastic is then recycled. - Packaging Material
Re-usable packaging material is sold to Amtec, a recycling company in Thomastown, Victoria, and cardboard is sold to Bayside Cartons in Braeside, Victoria. - Power Supplies
Contain metal and plastic components and are sold to Sims Metal for recycling.
- Plastics
- Why is Byteback only in Victoria?
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Byteback has been developed by Sustainability Victoria in conjunction with computer manufacturers Apple, Canon, Dell, Epson, Fujitsu, Fuji-Xerox, HP, IBM, Lenovo, and Lexmark and the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA). It is hoped that this model will form the basis of a national framework for the responsible disposal of computer waste.
- How long will the Byteback trial last?
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Byteback will run until mid 2009. Learnings from Byteback will help the industry prepare for a national approach to disposing of computer equipment responsibly.
- Why does Byteback conclude mid 2009?
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Byteback will be constantly measured and assessed to identify the best methods of computer waste disposal. Learnings from Byteback will help the industry prepare for a national approach to disposing of computer equipment responsibly.
- Why does Byteback cover computers and printers but not televisions or small electronic appliances?
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Byteback represents a shared responsibility approach to disposing of unwanted computer equipment and the program’s industry partners - Apple, Canon, Dell, Epson, Fujitsu, Fuji-Xerox, HP, IBM, Lenovo, and Lexmark – cover the cost of transporting and recycling their own branded material. It is hoped this model will be also be adopted by other industries.
- Do I need to do anything to my old computer equipment before I bring it to Byteback?
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- Save or delete any important documents or files prior to recycling.
- If your equipment is still working, consider donating it to a friend, relative or charity who could use it.
- Plan ahead when recycling old computer equipment. Ensure plenty of room in which to operate and, where possible, ask somebody to help you
- Always observe safe lifting procedures when lifting heavy computer equipment. This means using leg muscles, not your back.
- Before moving equipment, ensure that there is no broken glass or sharp, protruding objects
- When transporting, pack equipment safely and closely together, ensuring that screens and monitors are not packed face-down. Use padding or old blankets to reduce the chance of breakages en route.
- Are all brands of IT equipment accepted?
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Yes. Simply take your unwanted IT equipment to your nearest Byteback collection site during operating hours.