Six foot tall e-waste robot to promote recycling

AUCKLAND (Scrap Monster): RCN e-Cycle is rolling out a national marketing campaign about recycling e-Waste and the star is a 6 foot tall e-waste robot built by Gwilym Griffith Jones of Staple Design in conjunction with May E Machine, in Wanaka.

“The robot is a practical demonstration of electronics recycling,” said RCN e-Cycle spokesperson Tania Pilkinton.

“Made entirely from e-Waste, we have turned outdated, obsolete and potentially toxic electronics into something unique and new. The robot represents what recycling electronics is really all about.”

The RCN e-Cycle project is funded in part by the Ministry for the Environment, with a large portion of the $1.1 million budget allocated to building awareness and a call to action nationwide.

“We wanted something that children could connect with and that would inspire them to think about responsible electronics recycling. After all, the children are our future,” said Ms Pilkinton.

RCN e-Cycle is running a name the robot competition until the end of March.

“The competition is designed to engage children between the ages of seven and 15, and to encourage them to start thinking about e-waste and why we have to recycle it.”

“There’s something about a robot which appeals to the child in us all, and which shows why new technology is irresistible. New is exciting, but we need to recycle our old electronics responsibly to prevent harm being caused to our environment.”

The new campaign focuses on billboards and radio ads featuring the robot. A new website, which also includes educational resources for schools, was also launched this week.

The yet to be named robot will make its first public appearance on 31 March at the new Hamilton drop off site.

About the “Name the robot” competition
The contest will take place from today to 30 March. It is open to all ages and the winner will receive a new Samsung Galaxy 8.9" WiFi 16GB Tablet.

The winner will be the person who comes up with the most fun and descriptive name… one that matches the robot’s personality and voice, and that is linked to e-Waste recycling.

Those interested in submitting a name can log on to www.e-cycle.co.nz and click on the contest banner to be directed to the official rules and entry page.

About RCN e-Cycle
RCN e-Cycle is a Ministry for the Environment funded project that, with the cessation of the eDay programme, provides a long-term everyday solution to recycling electronic waste.

RCN e-Cycle has a network of 27 sites around New Zealand. Private computer recycling company RCN has partnered with the Community Recycling Network to make the project a reality.

About electronic waste
Electronic waste is one of the fastest growing and most toxic waste streams. By recycling electronic waste, we can reclaim valuable resources and keep toxic materials out of our land and water. It’s a win-win for the environment and for future generations.