Environment Minister Nick Smith is issuing a challenge to Tauranga residents to dispose of televisions in a safe manner.

During his visit in Tauranga last month, Nick spoke with the trustees of the Tauranga Environment Centre to discuss future recycling plans.

Environment Minister Nick Smith talks with Tauranga Environment Centre trustees during a visit to the city last month.

He says the falling price of new TVs, international sporting events and the national switchover to digital transmission from 2012 are fuelling a change from older cathode ray tube sets to flat screen, high definition LCD and plasma TVs.

'The challenge is that there is an estimated 4400 tonnes of lead in the 2.2 million cathode ray tube TVs that needs to be responsibly recycled or disposed of.

'The government is asking businesses to come forward with innovative solutions on how we can expand the infrastructure for TV recycling and raise awareness of how to recycle and properly dispose of this electronic waste.”

During the minister's meeting with the TEC board, working more efficiently to help protect the environment was discussed.

He also spoke about what he was looking for in the way of environmental projects and what was high up on his priority list.

'The programme is called TV Take Back and will be funded from the government's Waste Minimisation Fund.

'Proposals are being sought from businesses, particularly retailers, to provide a recycling service in parallel with the sale of new TVs.”

A new TV is not required to receive digital television when the phased digital switchover starts next year, but some Kiwis may look to replace their old TV and Nick says it's important they know how and where to dispose of them safely.

'TV Take Back is part of a wider government plan to put in place a more enduring solution for e-waste.

'We have also provided $1.4 million to RCN and the Community Recycling Network to establish a network of 35 permanent e-waste depots to recycle televisions and computers.”

Nick says the TV Take Back programme is to complement this work with a focus on clearing the old stock of TVs.

'Expressions of interest for the TV Take Back programme are now being received and will close on 21 October 2011.”