We don't have an e-waste data problem. We have an incentive problem.
The real story behind New Zealand's e-waste numbers – and what needs to happen next.
You've probably seen the numbers: 100,000 tonnes of e-waste a year, 20kg per person, 2% recycled – repeated everywhere from media to government reports.
Look closer, though, and they don't hold up: the tonnage is modelled, not measured and the recycling statistic comes from one small local study repeated as national fact. New Zealand is the only OECD country with no e-waste tracking scheme.
But chasing better data misses the real story. Previous research found retailers refunding and landfilling returned appliances – it is cheaper and easier to bin than repair and resell. It's the same for households: landfill’s true cost is low and hidden.
That's the pattern underneath it all. Throwing things away is easy and nothing in the incentivises repair, resale, or reuse.
So, we’re not here to argue for better measurement. We're here to share our Repair Manifesto – our vision for a future where repair is easy: products built to last and easy to repair, thriving local repair, and legislation that backs it up.
Join us to find out what it will take to make repair the easy choice, for good.
The webinar will be recorded and shared with registered participants.
This event is part of the Repair Festival Aotearoa New Zealand.
