Member for Kiama Gareth Ward has called for statewide reform to ban e-waste from landfills, citing the inspiring efforts of local entrepreneur Wade Cawley.

Cawley, a former Shoalhaven Young Citizen of the Year, runs a successful e-waste recycling business called Rekindle Me, which motivated Mr. Ward to push for this change.

“Wade’s work highlights the fact that unlike other States, NSW does not have a ban on e-waste to landfill. This week, I told Wade’s story and used Parliament to explain why NSW should ban e-waste in landfills and ensure these elements are recycled here,” said Mr. Ward to NSW Parliament in a private members statement.

Cawley, who had a double foot reconstruction 12 years ago and still feels some residual pain, wanted to start his own business to avoid potentially disappointing employers because of his foot pain.

“Wade is an inspiration. He’s an example of a young person who is running a small business whilst doing something positive for our environment and people with disabilities,” said Mr. Ward.

Currently, the world generates e-waste five times faster than we can recycle it, and Mr. Ward believes we have the capacity to address the issue.

“In Australia, only 22 per cent of e-waste was properly collected and recycled in 2022, but Australians generate around 20 kilograms of e-waste per capita, which is more than double the global average. In 2022 alone, across the world, we collectively buried $62 billion worth of recoverable natural resources as e-waste.”

“I’ve recently visited a number of businesses that recycle e-waste. We have the capacity to ensure that once finite resources become infinite and I look forward to pressing this issue further in Parliament,” Mr. Ward concluded.