This one-of-a-kind synth is made almost entirely of e-waste

Australian telecommunications company Telstra has teamed up with electronic music group and fellow Aussies The Avalanches to create a fully functional synth from over 80% repurposed e-waste items like mobile phones, games consoles and old electronic cables.

The one-of-a-kind “e-waste” synth – created to raise awareness of the growing problem of e-waste in Australia – will be on display in the window of Telstra’s Melbourne Discovery Store through March and April.

In a blog post on Telstra’s website, the company describes the country’s “mounting” e-waste problem, noting that by 2030, it’s estimated the country will produce 657,000 tonnes of e-waste every year – roughly the weight of 12 Sydney Harbour bridges or 19,000 Melbourne trams.

Put simply, e-waste refers to old electronic items and devices that are no longer used, like broken or outdated mobile phones – and their accessories and chargers.

“Instead of tossing them in the trash, they need special recycling because they’re full of stuff that can harm the environment, but they also contain valuable materials we can reuse,” Telstra says.

The company says Australia’s e-waste problem is significantly worse than the global average, with around 20kg of e-waste produced per person per year, compared to the global average of 7kg.

The new synth comes as part of a wider initiative by Telstra, Second Life Sounds, which centres around its goal to reuse, recycle, repair or donate one smart device for every two devices sold by 2030. 

“We wanted to show that e-waste can be repurposed into something that people can relate to universally,” says Robbie Chater of The Avalanches. “Through music, we have tried to demonstrate the amazing link between sustainability and creativity.”

You can learn more about the new one-of-a-kind “e-waste” synth at Telstra.

Sam is the Associate News Editor for Guitar.com and MusicTech. Thoroughly immersed in music culture for the majority of his life, Sam has played guitar for 20 years, studied music technology and production at university, and also written for the likes of MusicRadar, Guitar World, Total Guitar and Metal Hammer.