1. What is Drop Zone and who is MRI PSO?

Drop Zone is a network of public collection sites under the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS). Drop Zone sites provide free recycling of televisions, computers, printers and computer peripherals Australia-wide for households, schools and small business. These sites include most Officeworks stores and many local councils.

MRI PSO Pty Ltd is an approved Co-Regulatory Arrangement under the NTCRS, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of MRI E-cycle Solutions. It has been established to operate the Arrangement and is headed up by Rose Read as Chief Executive Officer. Rose was the former Manager of MobileMuster - Australia’s highly regarded mobile phone industry recycling program.

It is important to note that MRI E-cycle Solutions acquired DHL Supply Chain’s national television and computer recycling product stewardship arrangement in February 2016. DHL is no longer involved in the NTCRS.

  1. Who is MRI E-cycle Solutions

MRI E-cycle Solutions is an Australian-owned e-waste recycling company with a reputation for practical expertise and robust technical knowledge.

We operate across Australia and provide a comprehensive range of collection, reuse and recycling services for all electrical and electronic products. This includes solutions for associated consumables like batteries, fluorescent tubes, and printer cartridges. MRI E-cycle Solutions is also the largest non-lead-acid battery recycler in Australia.

MRI E-cycle Solutionscommitment to safe, secure and ethical operations cuts across all aspects of the company’s activities. Transparency and rigour are core business drivers.

  1. Where and who does MRI work with?

MRI E-cycle Solutions operates recycling facilities in four capital cities providing services to the community, government and business. We also have over 220 Drop Zone collection sites Australia-wide providing free television and computer recycling to households and small businesses.

Our recycling facilities are independently audited and certified to all relevant industry standards including: ISO9001, ISO14001, OHAS18001, AS/NZ4801 and AS/NZ5377. Our facilities are EPA licensed and we hold the required Government export permits when moving hazardous materials and components off-shore. Effective and efficient compliance is embedded throughout the company and its operations.

Our extensive experience with councils means that we understand local government and the importance of effective customer service, reporting and regular communication.

  1. Why are you talking to local councils?

MRI E-cycle Solutions provides e-waste and battery collection and recycling services Australia-wide. This includes providing services to communities in remote and regional areas as well as urban locations as part of its overall operations and business.

Given local councils’ responsibility to provide residents with a standard waste service, many residents expect local councils to be the first point of contact for all waste services, including e-waste.

As a government approved NTCRS Co-regulatory Arrangement MRI E-cycle Solutions is required to provide households and small businesses with easily accessible free collection points to recycle their unwanted televisions, computers, accessories and printers.

Given our common responsibilities in providing waste/ recycling services to households, MRI is eager to work with councils to provides free, easily accessible e-waste collection and recycling service to your residents and small businesses.

It only seems logical that we work together.

MRI E-cycle Solutions is committed to ensuring all Australian’s have reasonable access to free recycling services and is keen to work with local councils to ensure this is provided in a cost effective and efficient manner.

  1. What is the NTCRS and how can local government participate?

The National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (NTCRS) is a joint initiative of Federal Government and importers and manufacturers of televisions and computers to provide Australian households and small business free collection and recycling services Australia wide.

The objectives and outcomes of the Scheme are stipulated in the Product Stewardship (Televisions and Computers) Regulation 2011 (

The aim of the NTCRS is to reduce the impact of unwanted and used televisions and computers on the environment and to reduce the impact that substances contained in these products have on peoples’ health and safety.

Under the Scheme television and computer importers and manufacturers over time have increasing responsibility to recover their products (i.e. from 30% of waste arising in 2012-13 to 80% of waste arising by 2026-27), greater than 90% material recovery and provide reasonable access to all Australian households and small businesses.

To date, more than 1,800 collection services have been made available to the public and more than 130,000 tonnes of TV and computer e-waste has been collected and recycled under the NTCRS. This has diverted substantial amounts of hazardous materials away from landfill and enabled the reuse of finite resources contained in televisions and computers.

The NTCRS has also created employment opportunities within the recycling sector, and over time is reducing costs to local councils to provide e-waste services to their residents by taking on more and more of the collection, transport and recycling costs as collection targets increase.

The NTCRS supplements existing state, territory and local government e-waste management but does not replace these activities completely.

Local councils can choose to be part of the NTCRS by negotiating a collection service agreement with MRI E-cycle Solutions and host aDrop Zone site.

  1. What’s the catch?

There is no catch, but there are several good reasons to work with us; such as:

  • We will provide fee recycling of all NTCRS e-waste, and as a minimum subsidise or where possible fund all costs for the bins and transport, as well as signage and promotions;
  • Council will be able to provide a free recycling service to households and small businesses at a significantly reduced or no cost to council;
  • We can also recycle all your non NTCRS e-waste, batteries and fluorescent globes and photovoltaic systems, steel and whitegoodsif so desired, meaning Council has only one supplier to deal with;
  • We are committed to working with local communities and where possible will use local or regional recyclers that are AS 5377 certified.
  • We have recycling facilities in every state and territory (except NT), some of these facilities are social enterprises, all are AS 5377 certified.

While there have been, some historical issues associated with the NTCRS including stockpiles, quotas and confusion over costs, many of these have been resolved.

MRI E-cycle Solutions is confident that sustainable collection and recycling partnerships can be developed with local councils through dialogue and an improved understanding of how the NTCRS operates.

We can work through specific issues, many of which are relevant to most councils. We also prefer uncomplicated service agreements that are mostly focused on outcomes and simple processes, with minimum legalistic language.

  1. Why partner with MRI E-cycle Solutions and host a Drop Zone site?

MRI E-cycle Solutions can clearly answer your queries and concerns, including the following common questions:

  1. Will, I get left with a stock pile of e-waste? Is there a quota?

No. MRI E-cycle Solutions does not set quotas and will honour our contracts with Councils. As the Scheme collection rates grow year on year (from 58% in 2016-17 to 80% 2026-27) we will be working closely with Councils to promote these services to households and small business.

  1. Is there any sorting required?

Where possible we would prefer if the products are sorted at point of collection in to the following broad groups, CRT TVs, flatscreen TVs, computers, computer accessories/printers. This streamlines the recycling process, makes it safer, more cost effective (meaning more financial support can be provided to councils) and optimises resource recovery.

We can provide cages, signage and educational material to make sorting easier.

  1. What do we accept e.g. any tolerance on small amount of other e-waste outside of the scheme, if any?

We accept all NTCRS complying product (i.e. Televisions, computers, computer accessories and printers) as listed in the regulations or go to We will accept up to 5% contamination by weight per load.

We can also collect non NTRCS complying e-waste, batteries, fluorescent globes and photovoltaics. Fees and / or rebates may apply.

  1. How does the collection happen? What are the bins like? How many/often would they have them?

Council usually contacts us via email to advise when the collection units are full and need replacing. Depending on volumes collections can be on demand or on a regular collection cycle. We have a range of collection units available depending on your site and volume, they can be either cages, RORO hook bins, bluk-a-bags or shipping containers. What is important is that we minimize the amount of handling of the product, prevent breakage and ensure it is kept out of the weather on a hard surface in line with the Australian standard for the collection, transport and processing of end of life electronic and electrical equipment AS 5377.

  1. How often could you collect?

Depending on volumes collections can be on demand or on a regular collection cycle.

  1. Is there any chance of a cost for collection transport or container fees while material is sitting in our containers waiting to be collected?

Where ever possible MRI E-cycle Solutions will cover the whole cost of supplying collection units and transporting them to and from the recycling facility. If not we will at least subsidise this cost as much as we can. NO fees will be charged for recycling NTCRS complying e-waste. We will also provide you free of charge signage for collection sites and will design these in collaboration with you as well as promote the collection service to households and small businesses.

  1. How does the material collected need to be stored? Does it need to be weatherproof? What happens if there is broken glass from monitors?

As a minimum, all e-waste needs to be stored undercover or indoors, on a hard surface and in a safe and secure manner to prevent theft, damage, breakage or vandalism. This can either be in cages or a bin or a container. Collection units should not be overloaded. Any broken glass or leaking batteries should be contained and placed into landfill.

  1. What is the risk for our council or contractor’s employees while they are handling these materials.

Council needs to ensure all necessary health and safety precautions are taken in terms of staff training, provision of appropriate PPE and mechanical aids to minimize the handling of products, broken glass and leaking batteries. MRI E-cycle Solutions will work with Council prior to opening a Drop Zone site to ensure all systems are in place to minimize any risks,

  1. Do you need to take other items like scrap metals so that you can offer this service for free?

No. But MRI E-cycle Solutions canalso collect and recycleother e-waste, batteries, fluorescent globes, photovoltaics, steel and whitegoods should Council want a single provider and simpler service.

  1. Can MRI help us with waste and recycling planning and training? How?

Yes. We can assist with face to face staff training, provide supporting documentation, signage and refresher training and reviews.

  1. Who is covering the costs?

The costs are covered by importers and manufacturers (i.e. Liable parties as defined under the Regulations) of televisions and computers who have joined MRI PSO (an NTCRS approved Co-regulatory Arrangement). It is not funded by government.

Each company pays a negotiated fee to MRI PSO based on their share of the annual Scheme target they are liable for. The government does not set this fee. These funds are then used by MRI E-cycle Solutions to cover the costs to promote, collect, transport, recycle, administer and report to government on its performance in meeting its targets.

In simple terms, MRI E-cycle Solutions manages the process on behalf of the Liable Parties, including all negotiations with councils, retailers, social enterprises, recyclers, transporters and other relevant stakeholders.

  1. How would it work?

MRI E-cycle Solutions would meet with Council to discuss its current e-waste arrangements/ needs, how we could work together, where Drop Zone sites could be set up, what is required at each site to collect, store and transport the product, reporting to Council, promotions to residents and staff training.

These arrangements would be recorded in an agreement for a duration of 2 or more years with options to review every 12 months.

  1. How would we promote the service?

MRI E-cycle Solutions as a minimum will provide signage for each the collection site/s and promote each site on its website and Planet Ark’s as well as through our social media on twitter and Linkedin.

We will also work closely with council staff to determine other promotional activities to raise householder and small business owner awareness of the service and encourage them to use it. Whether it be by media releases, online information, flyers, brochures and/or site signage.

  1. What other things do MRI do that would benefit councils?

MRI E-cycle Solutions is strongly placed to provide a range of other value-adds over and above collecting and recycling NTCRS compliant e-waste. We have the collection and recycling capabilities to cover much more than TVs and computers, and would seek to carefully assess this in close collaboration with your council.

MRI can assist with recycling of the following e-waste categories:

DVD and video cassette recorders/players

Video cassettes, CDs, DVDs, floppy disks and related storage media

Telephones - mobile, landline and all associated accessories and their batteries.

Power tools, including cordless drills, accessories and their batteries

Entertainment appliances

Small household appliances e.g. vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, toasters

Cameras, video recorders and all associated accessories and their batteries

Handheld batteries, including single use and rechargeable types

Lead acid / car batteries

Cables and wiring associated with the above categories

Fluorescent lighting, globes, lamps and associated lighting equipment

Photovoltaic panels and associated inverters and energy storage equipment

Creating and adding value through smart services and solutions for e-waste translates into operational and environmental benefits for councils and their communities.

FOR MORE INFORMATION & TO BECOME A DROP ZONE SITE CONTACT

Rose Read

0418 216 364

1300 439 278

Follow us on:

Twitter

@mridropzone

@mriecycle

Linkedin

MRI E-cycle Solutions

2 May 2017