Electronic Waste in Canada

By Patricia Jordan

We all have an important role to play in the stewardship of the planet and its resources. The United Nations estimates that 50 million tonnes of electronic waste are generated annually and a disproportionate amount of that electronic waste is exported from industrialised countries to developing countries. Electronic waste is the most heavily traded toxic waste on the planet. Visit BAN.org to view images of toxic electronic waste dumping sites in Africa and China.



Did You Know?

• Canadians throw out more than 140,000 tonnes of computer equipment every year.
• Many electronic waste recyclers export materials to other countries rather than recycling materials in Canada.
• Canadians generate approximately 31 million tonnes of garbage a year and only recycle about 30 per cent of that material.

Encorp Pacific (Canada) is a federally incorporated not-for-profit stewardship corporation that provides stewardship services on a contract basis to the electronics industry for the collection and recycling of regulated products. A province-wide end-of-life electronics recycling program is available to consumers and businesses.



The Recycling Council of British Columbia (RCBC) operates services that provide consumers with information and resources that are available in British Columbia. The RCBC Recycling Hot-line is a comprehensive, toll-free service that provides information on waste reduction, recycling, disposal and pollution prevention. The RCBC Materials Exchange Program and RCBC Electronic Materials Exchange Program are free province-wide services facilitating the reuse and recycling of products and materials.



Quick Facts

• Most rechargeable batteries can be recharged up to 1,000 times.
• More than 90,000 computers have been donated to libraries and schools in British Columbia since 1994.
• More than 43 per cent of cell phone users replace their cell phones every two years.

Site du Jour
Basel Action Network (BAN) is an organization that is focused on global environmental injustice and economic inefficiency of toxic trade and its impacts. BAN confronts issues of environmental justice and actively promotes sustainable solutions to consumption and waste crises while promoting green, toxic free and democratic design of consumer products.

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Kenya: Electronic Waste and the Need for Secure Disposal Mechanisms
By Esmond Shahonya
September 5, 2011

Technology is ever changing and, by so doing, improving lives.

However due to a proliferation of electronic gadgets and equipment, there is electronic waste resulting from discarded machines and obsolescence.

Electronic waste or e-waste is a growing threat in most economies as more gadgets reach the end of their lives or break down beyond repair.

Read the full article.

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Don't Forget Digital E-Waste in Your Green IT Endeavors
By Heather Clancy
September 1, 2011

Most of us define electronic-waste (aka e-waste) as all the stuff that literally goes into (and comes out of) a piece of computer or consumer electronics hardware. E-waste disposal is one of the hottest and most controversial topics around, especially as it applies to physical consequences. But researchers at Johns Hopkins have published a paper suggesting that many people overlook another major causes of e-waste: cluttered, ill-managed electronic files and applications that no longer justify their existence.

Read the full article.