News - Dec 19, 2022 Niue E-waste Clean-up

The Niue environment is now benefiting from less pollution, due to a large clean-up of electronic waste by the Department of Environment.

Electronic waste in Niue has traditionally been stockpiled across the island in informal stockpiles and dumpsites due to a lack of storage, training, and funding to allow their processing and export.   Electronic waste, when stored outdoors in the environment, can leach toxins and contaminants into soil and groundwater.

The stockpile clean-up and consolidation are the first step in the goal to elimination of pollution from e-waste.  From there, the e-waste will be processed for export at an e-waste centre (to be located inside the new recycle facility) by trained Department of Environment staff.

Electronic waste is intended to be included in the proposed Niue Advanced Recovery and Disposal Fee, providing sustainable funding for its long-term collection and management.

A legal consultancy is currently working with Niue on the design of this regulation.

Approximately 4-6 containers of e-waste were collected by the Environment Department and now wrapped on pallets awaiting processing and removal from Niue.  Additionally, an estimated 150 bulk bags of plastic bottles (PET & HDPE) have been collected and are also stockpiled at the new recycling center awaiting processing and export.