Substation33
An economically friendly eWaste disposal service.
Substation 33 is an eWaste disposal service that interrupts the flow of electronic equipment into landfills and puts the materials back into the manufacturing system. Substation 33 provides this service by employing local residents of Logan City and its surrounds, acting as a community resource offering practical volunteering, work experience and job placement opportunities.
2015 Pitch
Funds raised: $50,700
Substation33 raised $50,700 at a Funding Network event in March 2015 to provide employment to 10 people, who have supported 344 volunteers undertaking work experience and training with the organisation.
The impact...
Tony Sharp came across an alarming statistic: Only 20% of the electronic waste in Australia was being recycled, with the rest going to landfill. Based in Logan, one of the lowest socioeconomic areas in Australia, Tony saw a unique opportunity to ‘interrupt the flow’ of electronic waste to landfill, and to create work opportunities for some of the community’s most disadvantaged young people at the same time. This included the intergenerationally-unemployed, people with disabilities, homeless young people and young offenders. Substation33, which operates to put discarded electronic materials back into the manufacturing system, was the great result of his vision.
They have also secured a project allowing young offenders to obtain a Certificate in Workplace Participation with the organisation, and are collaborating with the Queensland Cerebral Palsy League on a duplication model. Substation33 successfully recycled and upcycled over 105,000 kilograms of e-waste in 2015, and are now building 3D printers from electronic waste, making their own filament, and selling their printers to schools. Unfortunately, Australia’s volume of e-waste continues to rise, but Substation33 is in a better position than ever to repurpose that into something wonderful.
Read their Impact Report
Learn more about Substation33.
Supporting Sustainable Development Goals:
