Electronics recycling program welcome in Durham

DURHAM -- New green fees on televisions and computers will ease the burden on municipal taxpayers when it comes to dealing with electronic waste.

The Province estimates consumers will pay an extra $13 on new desktop computers and $10 on televisions under the plan, with producers of the products deciding whether they absorb the fee or pass it on to consumers. In return, 167 drop-off locations throughout Ontario will collect electronic waste without charging the public. In five years, the number of drop-off locations will swell to more than 650. About 27 per cent of e-waste is currently recycled and re-used and the program intends to see that figure swell to 61 per cent by year five.

The plan was developed by Waste Diversion Ontario, an organization designated by the Province to run Ontario's diversion programs, including overseeing the blue box program, and will kick in this spring.

"I think it's a good start, as you know, the Region has recently endorsed extended producer responsibility," said Craig Bartlett, Durham's manager of waste management. The industries that produce the garbage should be responsible for covering the cost of disposal, he added.

The Region collects electronic waste at its transfer stations where residents are required to a pay a tipping fee and at special e-waste events where electronics can be dropped off free of charge. The equipment goes to an industrial recycling facility.

"We've got a contractor who actually processes that equipment and removes all the plastics and metals," said Mr. Bartlett.

Although Durham's waste department doesn't yet have estimates on how much the new program will save Durham taxpayers, the Province is touting it as the first time industry has paid 100 per cent of the cost of a diversion program. Those who collect e-waste, including municipalities, will get $165 for it under the new program.

"It will reduce our cost to operate this program, it will mean savings for taxpayers," said Mr. Bartlett.

The Provincial program also ensures that once collected, the material is being dealt with properly, with the parts that can be reused being reused, and the recyclable parts recycled. As well, the program's goal is to divert toxic metals like mercury and lead, which can be present in electronics, from landfills.

"So they're not shipping it off to some country that doesn't have the proper technology for processing that equipment," said Mr. Bartlett.

The new e-waste plan will be implemented in two phases. The first phase, which kicks off this spring, will focus on desktop computers and laptops, monitors, printers, fax machines and televisions. Phase two, which is to follow 12 months later, will include materials such as phones, cameras and audio/visual equipment.

And, the program covers not only household products, but electronics from commercial, industrial and institutional sources as well.

Mr. Bartlett expects industry to set up take-back locations, perhaps even at retail outlets, and hopes that would reduce the amount of waste the Region needs to manage and reduce costs.

"I would love for them to put us out of business."

And, while Mr. Bartlett says the Province is getting it right by tackling hard-to-manage waste streams like e-waste, he hopes the government keeps going.

"These are all very good steps and we hope that they will take it a little bit further so that industry assumes all of the cost of all of the manufactured products that currently end up in the waste stream."

---