Tackling the Growing Mountain of Consumer Tech Waste

Australia generates over 500,000 tonnes of e-waste each year, most of which remains unrecycled. This webinar will unpack why the current system is struggling and explore practical, circular solutions—from council-level recovery initiatives to extended producer responsibility, repair networks and reuse systems.

In this webinar, we’ll examine the gaps in existing e-waste collection and take-back schemes, spotlight pioneering council-level recovery pilots, demystify how extended producer responsibility can shift accountability back to manufacturers, and delve into the grassroots repair networks and reuse platforms breathing new life into old devices.

Speakers

Alvaro Rodas Fernandez – Chief Commercial Officer, RecycleSmart
RecycleSmart is a fast-growing Australian startup making household recycling simple through door-to-door collection services for hard-to-recycle items, including e-waste, textiles, and soft plastics. With deep experience in scaling circular operations, Alvaro leads commercial strategy and partnerships. In this session, Alvaro will share how RecycleSmart is rethinking e-waste logistics at the local level, showcasing scalable models for on-demand recovery and operational lessons from working closely with councils and communities.

Caroline de Santi – Team Leader – Infrastructure Partnerships, Sustainability Victoria
Sustainability Victoria is the state government agency supporting the transition to a circular economy through investment, education, and collaboration. Caroline leads strategic partnerships that drive infrastructure development across recycling and resource recovery. She’ll provide insights into Victoria’s state-level circular economy framework, how funding mechanisms are enabling innovation in e-waste management, and the role of infrastructure in closing material loops.

Darren Johannesen – Executive General Manager – Sustainability, Smart Energy Council
The Smart Energy Council is Australia’s peak body for renewable energy and clean technology. Darren brings extensive experience at the intersection of policy, advocacy, and sustainable systems. His presentation will explore the national landscape—highlighting emerging connections between the e-waste challenge and the renewable energy transition, including opportunities for better stewardship of solar panels, batteries and electronics under extended producer responsibility schemes.

About Boomerang Labs
Boomerang Labs is Australia's first Circular Economy Accelerator. In addition to our hands-on programs for circular startups, Boomerang Labs is an Innovation Exchange; a hub connecting companies, government bodies and other organisations with founders and innovators to tackle challenges of design, resource use and resource recovery in their organisations and supply chains.

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