With many Canadians having to adopt remote work during the pandemic, the use of electronic devices has been rising. For Québec Waste Reduction Week, which runs from October 17 to 25, the Electronic Products Recycling Association of Québec (EPRA-Québec) and celebrity scientist Martin Carli are collaborating to raise awareness about the importance of recycling old electronics in an environmentally responsible way.
“As telework takes off in Québec, it is essential that each one of us does the right thing with those computers and monitors that we replaced over the last months with new devices. What matters is that we take the time to safely recycle our old devices by bringing them, free of charge, to any one of the close to 1,000 authorized drop-off points located in all regions of Québec,” implores Carli.
“And since we are spending more time at home, why not take the opportunity to do a big cleanup in the basement and also recycle those old TVs, DVD players, and sound systems?”
Celebrity Scientist Martin Carli
Due to the exceptional COVID-19 health measures that are in place, the organization is advising everyone to make sure that the nearest drop-off point is open prior to departure.
In 2019 Quebecers recycled an average of 2.5 kg, or over 20,000 tonnes of electronic products recycled or directed for reuse.
EPRA-Québec’s “Recycle My ElectronicsTM program enables the responsible and ecological recycling of more than 150 types of products (televisions, laptops, desktop computers, computer accessories, printers, tablets, cellular phones, etc.). Since the beginning of the program in 2012, more than 140,000 metric tonnes of old electronics have been diverted from landfills – enough to fill a row of tractor trailers stretching all the way from Gatineau to Quebec City.
EPRA-Québec takes responsibility for all electronics brought to its authorized drop-off points across the province, including several municipal ecocentres, many retailers as well as other organizations and companies. The devices are then sent to certified and approved companies that are compliant with Canadian standards, who ensure that they are handled in an environmentally-friendly way while minimizing risks to health and safety.
Once the products are dismantled, component materials such as metals, plastics and glass are sorted, recovered, conditioned and reused to make new products, therefore preserving non-renewable natural resources.
For further information about electronics recycling in Quebec, click here.