E-waste: End-of-Life Electronic Equipment

What is E-waste?

Electronic waste (or e-waste) includes computers, entertainment electronics, mobile phones and other items that have reached the end of their useful life.

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E-waste in BC

BC’s Return-It Electronics program is a province-wide, end-of-life electronics recycling program available to all consumers and businesses in British Columbia. The program was created in response to an amendment to the provincial Recycling Regulation in February 2006 which called for the electronics industry to take responsibility for the lifecycle management of their products.

As of August 2007, residents of BC can drop off any of the regulated products at designated collection sites without charge, and be assured that they will be recycled responsibly through reputable Canadian industries.

Materials currently accepted under the program include desktop computers & peripherals, portable computers, modems & desktop servers, desktop printers, fax machines, and televisions.

BC’s Ministry of Environment has recently announced that the program, which has successfully diverted more than 4,200 metric tonnes of electronic waste from landfills since its launch, is set to expand in 2010. The list of acceptable electronics will soon include other household electronics such as stereos, VCRs, cellular phones, and other hand-held devices.

For information on e-waste recycling and disposal options, contact the Recycling Council of BC Hotline

Phone: 604-732-9253 (Lower Mainland)
Toll Free: 1-800-667-4321 (rest of BC)

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Articles and Documents

• BC Ministry of Environment, Expansion of the current electronics product category
• British Columbia Stewardship Plan for End-of-Life Electronics. Electronics Product
  Stewardship Canada, October, 2006
  Summary and speaker presentation notes (33KB pdf)
• Waste Electronics Stewardship Forum March 5, 2002
• EPS Canada's Plan for Addressing E-waste in Canada. Electronics Product Stewardship Canada, June 2004
• Consumer Electronic Products Stewardship: Research and Demonstration Project Report. Electronics Product Stewardship Organization of Manitoba, August 2003
• E-Waste Fact Sheet (37KB pdf)
• Environment Canada, Information Technology and Telecommunication Waste in Canada. Prepared by EnvirosRIS, October 2000
• Environment Canada, Toxic and Hazardous Materials in Electronics. Prepared by Five Winds International, LP, May 2001
• Information Technology Association of Canada, Options for Recovery of End of Life IT Equipment Waste in Canada. Prepared by EnvirosRIS, March 2001
• Industry Canada, Computer Recycling Infrastructure in Canada. Prepared by Canadian Environment Industry Association. Contact Industry Canada Environmental Affairs Branch, March 2001
• BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection, End-of-Life for Information Technology Equipment in British Columbia. Prepared by North Shore Team One Consulting. Contact Ministry of Environment
• European Environmental Bureau, Towards Waste-Free Electrical and Electronic Equipment (1MB pdf). Prepared by Elena Lymberidi, March 2001
• Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, Just Say No to E-Waste
• Lindhqvist, Thomas, Extended Producer Responsibility in Cleaner Production: Policy Principle to Promote Environmental Improvements of Product Systems IIIEE Dissertations 2000:2
• Karen Asp, From Ground Zero, Taking Aim at Electronic Wastes (305KB pdf). Reiterate Fall 2001
• RCBC, Local Government Action on E-Waste (62KB pdf). RECAP, July 2002

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Related Links

Government

Environmental Protection Division
Environment Canada - National Office of Pollution Prevention
European Union WEEE Directives
City of San Francisco Take-it-Back Resolution
US EPA Product Stewardship of Electronics

Industry Associations

Electronic Product Stewardship Canada (EPSC)
Alberta Recycling Management Authority
Saskatchewan Waste Electronic Equipment Program (SWEEP)
Electronic Industries Alliance (USA)
Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling (UK)

Environmental Advocacy

European Environmental Bureau
Grass Roots Recycling Network
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition Take-it-Back Campaign 

Multi-Sectoral

Northwest Product Stewardship Council
National Electronics Product Stewardship Initiative
Western Electronics Product Stewardship Initiative

Manufacturer's Recycling Programs

Apple and the Environment
Canon's Clean Earth Campaign
Dell Recycling
Epson Recycle Program
HP Hardware Recycling Services
IBM Asset Recovery Solutions
Lexmark Equipment Collection Program
Sony Style Notebook Trade-In Program
Toshiba's Environmental Recovery and Recycling Effort

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Other Information

For information on E-waste recycling and disposal options, contact the Recycling Council of BC Hotline

Phone: 604-732-9253 (Lower Mainland)
Toll Free: 1-800-667-4321 (rest of BC)
Email: hotline@rcbc.bc.ca

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