Nearly 13,000 metric tons of e-waste were diverted from provincial landfills in 2023, equivalent to 2.3 kilograms per person in B.C.
91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檙e talking about any used electronics that have reached the end of life,91裸聊视频� explained Craig Wisehart, executive director at the Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA) and Return-it.
He pointed out that there is a marked difference between what91裸聊视频檚 reusable and what should be recycled.
91裸聊视频淚f your laptop still works but you have a new one the best thing to do is give it to your kids or donate it to a charity. When it91裸聊视频檚 dead and gone that91裸聊视频檚 what we call e-waste, and that91裸聊视频檚 what our program is all about recycling that.91裸聊视频�
E-waste is less of a problem in B.C. compared to other parts of Canada and the U.S., where there is no dedicated recycling program, and end-of-life devices usually end up in landfills.
91裸聊视频淲hich can be problematic,91裸聊视频� Wisehart added. 91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 lead in there, LED screens are backlight with mercury bulbs, cadmium in batteries, things that you don91裸聊视频檛 want leaching into the environment.91裸聊视频�
The EPRA has more than 300 Return-it sites across B.C. that accept e-waste.
91裸聊视频淵ou take your material there and we consolidate that and ship it to recyclers who break it down and get the iron, steel, aluminum and copper,91裸聊视频� Wisehart explained. 91裸聊视频淲e also make sure we collect the mercury and lead and all the other substances of concern and have that dealt with by approved processors.91裸聊视频�
As technology has improved, and consumer devices have gotten smaller and less bulky, potentially dangerous substances are less of a concern, Wisehart added.
91裸聊视频淭here91裸聊视频檚 still small amounts of some of that in new electronics. There91裸聊视频檚 also much less volume so even if it were going to the landfill, which it91裸聊视频檚 not, it would be a smaller amount of weight because the devices are so much smaller.91裸聊视频�
Wisehart said the EPRA91裸聊视频檚 core purpose is to recycle older electronics to keep them out of landfills.
91裸聊视频淚n 2012-2013, I would say 60 per cent of our volume, by weight, was TVs and displays with the old leaded glass. That91裸聊视频檚 maybe 30 per cent of our volume now.91裸聊视频�
More information about how to properly dispose of e-waste and find Return-it locations can be found on the .