Melbourne E-Waste Company Fined for Illegal Export of Hazardous Waste
A recycling company based in Melbourne has been penalised nearly $20,000 after shipping unreported e-waste, including solar inverters and lithium-ion batteries, to Singapore.
The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) in Australia revealed on Wednesday that Weeebytes Pty Ltd was fined $19,800 for unlawfully exporting hazardous waste.
Interception of Contaminated Shipment
A shipment was intercepted by officials in Singapore on 24 March 2025, which unveiled e-waste concealed among other items and not accurately declared by Weeebytes.
The undeclared materials reportedly encompassed significant amounts of crushed hard drives, circuit boards, solar inverters, lithium-ion batteries, power sources, and outdated transmitters.
Legal Consequences for Weeebytes
Weeebytes was aware of the requirements surrounding the export of hazardous materials but neglected to secure an export permit in line with legal regulations. Alongside the fine, the company is obliged to return the container to Australia and arrange for the proper disposal of the e-waste at their own cost.
A spokesperson from DCCEEW stated, “The Australian government takes the export of hazardous e-waste without a permit very seriously.”
Weeebytes’ Commitment to Recycling
Marketed as a “certified eWaste recycling company,” Weeebytes aims to protect the environment by diverting all e-waste from landfills. Their website showcases four different ISO certifications.
The company asserts it partially dismantles and processes collected e-waste on-site to retrieve recyclable materials, ensuring traceability throughout the recycling chain.
Government Crackdown on Illegal Exports
In a recent statement, DCCEEW announced a strict approach towards the illegal export of regulated waste by enhancing their monitoring and detection capabilities.
“Individuals or organisations caught exporting regulated waste without proper channels can incur substantial penalties.” This announcement underscores the pressing necessity for a compulsory national stewardship scheme in Australia, particularly in light of the rising amounts of discarded solar panels and batteries.
Current Stewardship Schemes and Future Plans
At present, there exists only one compulsory national stewardship scheme, which addresses used motor oil, along with two co-regulatory agreements targeting TVs and computers as well as plastics and packaging.
Several government-backed but industry-driven voluntary schemes also exist for various items, including handheld batteries, mobile phones, and tyres.
In January, the federal government finally responded to calls for a national stewardship scheme for solar panels, launching a $25 million pilot programme to set up as many as 100 collection sites nationwide.
Efforts to establish a federally supported solar recycling initiative have been slow, despite proposals from groups like the Smart Energy Council (SEC). Back in August, federal and state governments committed to developing a new mandatory recycling scheme for solar panels, although progress has been slower than anticipated.
Challenges Faced by E-Waste Recyclers
The absence of such recycling programmes has compounded the difficulties faced by industry-led solar recyclers. For example, in November, Sircel, Australia’s largest e-waste recycling company, entered administration after recently pivoting to focus on solar panel recycling.
Despite this transition, Sircel clarified that the new solar division was not responsible for the company’s financial challenges, with operations continuing as usual.
Another contender in the market, Reclaim PV from Adelaide, went bankrupt in 2023.
