TVs pile up as they pass use-by date

Mark Elson, EnviroHub volunteer, stacks old televisions into a container ready for them to be recycled. Photo/John Borren.

More than 20 old televisions had been dropped at the the Tauranga EnviroHub collection point yesterday morning less than two days after analogue television was switched off in the upper North Island.

Centre team leader Emma van de Molen said more than 300 televisions had already been collected at the Historic Village collection point.

Since Sunday morning's switch to digital television, people need a UHF aerial or satellite dish and a Freeview box or subscription to a paid television service to continue watching.

Mrs van de Molen said the comment she heard most often was that the old TV still worked.

"It's tricky and it's a bit of a shame recycling something that can still be used," she said.

The Ministry for the Environment has approved funding to subsidise the collection of about 2500 sets in the region but Mrs van de Molen said Tauranga was still well under that quota. The campaign was originally scheduled to wrap up at the end of the week but might be extended, depending on the availability of EnviroHub volunteers.

"I'd still encourage people to get it sorted this side of Christmas," she said.

It costs $5 to dispose of a television at one of the Government-subsidised collection points, which are also located in Mount Maunganui, Te Puke, Te Maunga and Katikati. Visit www.tvtakeback.govt.nz for more information. Amy McGillivray