Liam McNally
A couple from Melbourne’s north-west who are on the forefront of Australia’s “right to repair” movement have launched a new Facebook group to test a new way to address electrical waste and promote recycling.
Karen and Danny Ellis are self-described “travelling tinkerers” behind Mend It, Australia that have been travelling to community repair events around Victoria to volunteer their skills since 2017.
Now, the pair have started a Facebook group, Electronic/Electrical Giveaway Group – Hume, Melton and Wyndham, which allows people to claim, and give away electronic and electrical appliances and parts for free.
For more than a decade, the couple have been vocal advocates for the right to repair, a movement that advocates for legislation that prevents manufacturers imposing barriers that deny consumers the ability to repair and modify consumer products, especially in the electronics and electrical industry.
Ms Ellis, who is also on the steering committee of Griffith University’s Australian Repair Network, said the inspiration for the new group came after being prevented from accessing piles of e-waste she saw at local recycling facilities.
“It was a real concern knowing it would all be shredded,” she said.
“There’s certainly a big need for all these parts that you can’t get these days unless you go cannibalising [items].
“Manufacturers, even if they make these parts they don’t want to sell them to you, they want you to buy new.”
According to the government’s E-product Stewardship in Australia Report, an estimated 9 million tonnes of CO2e were associated with the purchase and import of e-goods, and embodied greenhouse gas emissions of e-wastes were 5.6 million tonnes in 2019.
Details: www.facebook.com/groups/eitems
