The Warehouse in Fraser Cove is joining other Warehouses around the country in recycling old televisions.

The Great TV Take Back gives people the opportunity to dispose of old TVs with the sets being recycled according to strict environmental standards.

The Warehouse in Fraser Cove will be recycling old televisions.

The Warehouse sustainability manager, Trevor Johnston, says it's difficult to say how many old TVs the programme might flush out.

'The success of recent eDays suggests consumers are becoming aware of the importance of proper disposal of electronic waste.

'eDays, however, did not include televisions whereas this initiative focuses just on old TVs.”

The programme is supported by the government's Waste Minimisation Fund and runs from September 21 until October 4.

Trevor says the Great TV Take Back is the largest public recycling event focusing solely on televisions.

'With The Warehouse heavily promoting the opportunity in store and on television it hopes to recover a significant number of the many hundreds of thousands of old Cathode Ray sets no longer in use in Kiwi households.

'The Warehouse sold around 500,000 CRT televisions in the past, and didn't hesitate when the opportunity to enable recycling of old sets presented itself.”

Trevor says the company hopes to see an industry wide product stewardship scheme for e-waste in the future, however, the Waste Minimisation Fund support offered a good start to voluntary schemes.

'Despite an absence of national mandate, The Warehouse has begun its own product stewardship initiatives – the first being its award winning ‘Bags for Good' programme aimed at cutting back plastic bag waste.

'The scheme has resulted in an 80 per cent reduction in bags issued by The Warehouse with profits from the 10 cent charge being donated to local community groups and charities – around $400,000 each year.”

Televisions returned to The Warehouse will be recycled by an approved specialist recycler, with recovery rates of the embedded materials in each television estimated to be as high as 96 per cent.

Trevor says to encourage participation The Warehouse is also offering prizes and discounts on new televisions and digital receivers to anyone returning their old sets. 'The free recycling offer is available to all households with unwanted televisions of any brand – regardless of any intent to purchase.”