As Christmas season nears, many people are gifting the latest phones, tablets, laptops, gaming devices, cameras, and TVs this time of the year. But at the same time, they don’t know what to do their old devices once they don’t use it anymore.

According to CleanUp Australia, 88% of the four million computers and three million TVs purchased in Australia every year will end up in landfill, which contributes to the 140,000+ tonnes of electronic waste generated by Australians every year and is growing at three times the rate of any other waste stream.

Fewer than 1% of TVs and around 10% of PCs and laptops are recycled here, even though 98% of their components can be.

Arnies Recon was founded on the premise that consumers can still enjoy their gadgets and give them a second chance.

The social enterprise says it has saved over 4.7 thousand tonnes of appliances and electronics from landfill. It has deployed ten distinct recycling methods, resulting in over 85 product lines.

“It is certainly the case with tech devices that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure and people can feel less guilty about replacing their old tech devices with the knowledge that they will be given a second life,” said Arnies Recon co-founder and CEO Lisa Saunders.

Once Arnies Recon receives an electronic device, the team tries to find the most efficient way to recycle it. They’ll find new homes for the items and may end up with collectors or refurbishers who recycle with the lowest footprint as possible.

“Recycling saves old devices from being dumped into landfill or confined to a drawer for just-in-case. People can give their old devices and tech a second life while enjoying their new gadgets without guilt,” said Saunders.

“We find people who refurbish and reuse the items as they are or as parts to make whole units. We even locate collectors in Australia and overseas who are excited by retro electronics and want to own or restore old items with nostalgic value,” Saunders continued.

Arnies Recon has partnered with Westfield to provide collection at some of its shopping centres around Sydney, starting with Bondi Junction, Chatswood and Warringah malls.

This this will expand to other locations in 2023.

Both will also organise community collections to make it easy for consumers to drop off their small electronics and cables to be recycled at a convenient location in their own neighbourhood.