By Claire Reilly

The international logistics company DHL has announced that it will be partnering with Sony Australia to provide collection and recycling services as part of Australia’s National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme.

Today’s news comes less than a month after DHL confirmed it would participate in the Government- and industry-led product stewardship program, making Sony DHL’s first customer in the scheme.

“Sony Australia is pleased to be working with DHL to fulfil its obligations under the National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme” said the director of Sony Australia, Nicholas Foster.  “Sony Corporation takes its environmental commitments very seriously and we are encouraged that a local recycling scheme will soon be underway.”

“This project is ground breaking for Australia,” added Terry Ryan, CEO of DHL Supply Chain South Pacific. “For DHL and its existing product offering, it marks a new direction in business.

“DHL is pleased to be working with existing customer Sony Australia towards achieving the national recycling target of 80 per cent by 2021; expanding and adding value to a relationship that commenced 25 years ago.”

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According to DHL, the supply chain arm of the company will provide “a comprehensive solution to Sony Australia which will include the collection and recycling of all television and electronic equipment”.

More of these collection services are expected to roll out of the coming two years, as the Federal Government looks to work with industry to expand collection “across metropolitan, regional and remote areas of Australia by the end of 2013,” according to the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.

The Department's aims for the scheme are to, “Reduce the amount of television and computer waste (particularly hazardous waste materials) for disposal to landfill; increase recovery of resources from end-of-life television and computer products in a safe, scientific and environmentally sound manner; and ensure national coverage and fair and equitable industry participation in the scheme”.

The Department has identified “importers of televisions, computers, printers and computer products and domestic manufacturers of televisions, printers and computer products” as parties that have legal obligations to be involved in the product stewardship scheme.

These “liable parties” are then required to enter into arrangements, such as the partnership between DHL and Sony, that will see the recycling and recovery of television and electronic products.