Approved Electronics Recycling Program to Launch in B.C.

    VANCOUVER, May 31 /CNW/ - As of August 1, 2007 consumers and businesses
throughout British Columbia will be able to drop off their end-of-life
electronics to designated collection locations province-wide at no charge so
they can be recycled responsibly. Authorized collection sites will be
identified by a Return-It Electronics symbol.
    Introduced by the Electronics Stewardship Association of British Columbia
(ESABC) and managed by Encorp Pacific, the Return-It Electronics Program will
divert end-of-life electronics from landfills and keep them from being shipped
to developing nations where they could be processed unsafely.
    ESABC is a not-for-profit corporation established by manufacturers,
retailers, and other stakeholders in response to the British Columbia
Recycling Regulation amendment of February 2006. Approved by the B.C. Ministry
of Environment in December 2006, the ESABC plan is the only waste electronics
product management program which, to date, has been approved by the BC
Government.
    "We believe this is an important initiative for the environment and are
committed to helping collect these products and ensuring they are recycled in
a safe and responsible manner," says Sean De Vries, chairman of ESABC and
environmental manager, Panasonic Canada. "With our Encorp partnership and
their existing infrastructure of depots and proven capabilities in managing
BC's beverage recycling program, we are well-positioned to administer the new
program."
    "Research has shown us that a third of the B.C. population -
approximately 1.4 million people - claims to have obsolete electronics
equipment in their home. And of those people, over half are not aware of
businesses or organizations in their local area that would accept their
obsolete or broken electronics for recycling," adds De Vries. "There is a
great opportunity to raise awareness of this important service."
    End-of-life electronics - used electronic items that are obsolete and
unusable - which will be accepted in the Return-It Electronics Program
include: desktop computers; computer monitors and accessories such as mouse,
keyboard and cables; desktop printers; desktop fax machines; and televisions.
Stereos, CD/DVD players and cellular phones are not accepted at this time.
    Consumers, producers and retailers of new electronics products - not
taxpayers - will carry the cost of the program. As of the August 1 launch
date, an environmental handling fee (EHF) levied on the sale of new products
in the designated categories will be used to fund the program.
    Environmental handling fees on new products are:-   Televisions $15-$45 (depending on size)
    -   Desktop Computers $10 (including accessories)
    -   Desktop Printers $8
    -   Notebook computers $5
    -   Monitors $12Approved Electronics Recycling Program to Launch in B.C.

    Collection sites throughout B.C. will be identified by a Return-It
Electronics symbol and will be listed at www.electronicsrecyclingbc.ca.
    The Return-It Electronics program is designed to manage end-of-life
electronic products that have exhausted their reuse potential. Consumers are
encouraged to consider reuse or donation options first for their aging
electronics equipment.

    About Encorp Pacific

    ENCORP PACIFIC (CANADA) is a federally incorporated not-for-profit
product stewardship corporation with a mandate to develop and manage
consumer-friendly and cost-effective systems to recover and recycle regulated
consumer products. More information is available at
www.electronicsrecyclingbc.ca or www.encorp.ca.

For further information: or interviews, please contact: Malcolm Harvey,
Corporate Communications, Encorp Pacific (Canada), t [phone],
[e-mail]