Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Electronics

Quick Facts Affordability Cost Savings CO2 Reduction		Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. As of August 2007, the government of B.C. banned certain electronic equipment from being included in trash collection. The Recycling Council of British Columbia now includes electronic recycling and disposal at “Return-It” locations throughout the province, making it easier to dispose of these materials in a safer and environmentally friendly way. Electronic devices contain a variety of hazardous materials. Proper handling and recycling of E-waste is a critical issue. Unfortunately, current technology has reduced the life cycle of electronic equipment, which further impacts the environmental concern. Affordability Revenues collected from an Environmental Handling Fee (EHF) on the sale of certain new electronic products in B.C. will be used for responsible recycling of end-of-life electronics. Drop off regulated products at designated collection sites without charge and be assured they will be recycled responsibly. Cost savings You can save hundreds of dollars each year by resisting the urge to get a new cell phone, a bigger TV, a better stereo, the latest PC or that new, sexier, PDA. Unless you’re upgrading to a more energy-efficient device, consider spending that money on extra DVDs, music downloads, software or phone time. Health & comfort Responsibly recycling and reusing electronic equipment can help to reduce the levels of hazardous materials that have been linked to adverse effects on human health and wildlife. Environmental considerations More than 140,000 tonnes of electronics waste annually accumulates in Canadian landfills, where the presence of hazardous materials may seep into our groundwater. And a gas used in the making of flat screen televisions, nitrogen trifluoride (NF3), is being blamed for damaging the atmosphere and accelerating global warming.

What you need to know

• The most important thing you can do is be aware of what equipment can and cannot be recycled. See the Return-it section on acceptable and non-acceptable products for a complete list.
• If you choose to donate your equipment to a charity, be sure to research how the charity uses the equipment and how they will dispose of it when it is no longer useful. 
• Make sure you have backed up your data and erased any personal data from your hard drive prior to donating, selling or recycling your old electronics.

Taking it further

• If you want to go even further, do some research and consider environmental attributes of an electronic product before you buy it. Europe’s RoHS directive has been successful in reducing the presence of toxic chemicals in electronics such as lead, cadmium and mercury. Look for companies whose products adhere to and even go beyond the RoHS compliance in Europe.
• For more information about purchasing green electronics, see the Buy Green Electronics tip.

FAQ

Where can I return my obsolete or broken down electronics for recycling? What types of equipment are accepted? Do they have pick-up service?
On August 1, 2007, a province-wide Return-It electronics recycling program for consumers and business was launched. This service enables consumers to drop off any of their regulated products at identified collection locations for free and be assured they are recycled responsibly.

Materials that are accepted in the program include TVs, computers and computer peripherals like printers and keyboards, desktop servers, portable computers. Excluded items include hand-held devices, computers or televisions that are part of or attached to vehicles, marine vessels or commercial or industrial equipment. See Return-It online for details and for the locations page to find which depot is closest to you.

Isn’t it better to reuse a product before recycling it?
Yes. While recycling programs are designed to manage end-of-life electronic products that have exhausted their reuse potential, it is usually best to first reuse products.