By recycling one million tonnes of e-waste through the Recycle My Electronics program, Canadians have made an impact on our shared future of diverting e-waste from landfills and illegal export.
“All of us at Recycle My Electronics are proud to have hit this milestone of diverting one million tonnes of e-waste from Canadian landfills through the program and preventing it from being illegally exported. We celebrate this achievement with Canadians from coast to coast to coast who have embraced our message – The future is in your hands. Don't let it go to waste.™ We are dedicated and invigorated to continue building on this achievement,” says EPRA CEO, Cliff Hacking.
Recycling e-waste ensures the resources inside are recovered, recycled and reused – reducing our overall carbon footprint and lessening our dependence on mining for new resources. It also diverts e-waste from landfill, where it can emit greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and other harmful toxins. The realities of climate change affect us all, and while it can feel overwhelming, recycling our e-waste is something we can all do that helps contribute to our sustainable future. Recycling one million tonnes of e-waste is not the only answer, but it’s an essential part of the overall solution.
Eighty percent of Canadians have unused electronics at home. That means whether they’re tucked away in the basement or garage or stashed away in a drawer, most of us have electronics just waiting to be safely and securely recycled. We have the opportunity to make an environmental impact that truly benefits us all.
Embracing more environmentally sustainable behaviour begins with a greater awareness of our own actions. Our electronics contain resources such as plastic, glass, gold, silver, copper and palladium and many of these resources can be used over and over again without losing their properties. It makes sense to recover and reuse these natural resources so they can go back into the manufacturing supply chain.
“Recycling one million tonnes of e-waste through the Recycle My Electronics program demonstrates the commitment Canadians have made to divert their electronics from landfill. Recycling e-waste creates a ripple of positive effects and our overarching commitment has always been, and continues to be, making safe and secure e-waste recycling easier and more accessible for all Canadians,” says EPRA CEO, Cliff Hacking.
Now in its second decade of implementing and innovating recycling programs and solutions, EPRA is an environmental advocate for safe and secure e-waste recycling programs throughout Canada. EPRA operates the only country-wide recycling program functioning at the local, provincial and national level.
As a pioneer of true extended producer responsibility, EPRA develops and implements benchmark metrics to measure industry performance and regulatory compliance, assisting retailers, electronic producers and manufacturers in meeting their legislative obligations throughout Canada.
The EPRA/Recycle My Electronics program has made it even easier and more convenient to recycle electronics through its special collection events and network of over 2,500 drop-off locations throughout the country, including return-to-retail locations.
The future is in your hands. Don't let it go to waste.™
When you bring your old electronics to a Recycle My Electronics authorized drop-off location, you’re helping to:
Ensure the safe and secure destruction of personal data stored on hardware.
Recover and recycle resources that can be put back into the manufacturing supply chain, conserving natural resources.
Divert e-waste from Canadian landfills.
Protect health and safety of workers and handlers.
Prevent e-waste from being illegally exported or handled by irresponsible recyclers, decreasing environmental issues for the planet.
CANADIANS RECYCLED ONE MILLION TONNES OF E-WASTE
By recycling one million tonnes of e-waste through the Recycle My Electronics program, Canadians have made an impact on our shared future of diverting e-waste from landfills and illegal export.
The Power of One Million
Recycling one million tonnes of e-waste saves the energy equivalent to power almost five million Canadian homes for one year.
Going the Distance
One million tonnes of end-of-life electronics would fill a row of pick-up trucks stretching from Vancouver to St. Johns and back again.
An Olympic Achievement
Olympic games host countries have been incorporating resources recovered from electronics into their awards metals. The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will mark the first time that the metals are made from 100% recovered materials.
2020 Tokyo 100%
2016 Rio 30%
2010 Vancouver 1.5%
There is still heavy lifting to do
80% of Canadians have unused electronics at home ready to be recycled.
The EPRA/Recycle My Electronics program has made it even easier and more convenient to recycle electronics through its special collection events and network of over 2,500 drop-off locations throughout the country, including return-to-retail locations.