Earth Day: Electronic Products Recycling Association of Québec Invites the Population to Recycle Their Old Electronics Accumulated During the Pandemic

MONTRÉAL, April 19, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - With the COVID-19 pandemic stimulating the acquisition of all sorts of electronics, the Electronic Products Recycling Association of Québec (EPRA-Québec) and their spokesperson, Martin Carli, want to raise awareness this Earth day (April 22) among the population about the importance of recycling old electronics in a safe and environmentally responsible way.

A survey conducted by the organization showed that the pandemic context caused 22% of Quebecers to get new electronic devices in 2020 to replace equipment they already had. Among this group, 77% intend to dispose of the products they replaced and 59% plan to do so by bringing them to a drop-off location for recycling. The pandemic has also affected electronics recycling habits, as 19% of the Quebec population preferred not to leave their home or did not recycle as much as usual.

In today's increasingly connected world, and with the ever-growing use of new technologies, the urgency to properly manage old electronics is palpable. According to a United-Nations report published in June 2020, a record amount of 53.6 million metric tonnes of waste electric and electronic-equipment (WEEE) was produced around the globe in 2019, a 21% rise in just 5 years.

Recycling old electronics is our strong point!
Québec can take pride in having regulated the electronics sector in 2012 and since then enjoy the benefits of an official program for the recovery and reclamation of old electronic devices. Set up and managed by EPRA-Québec, the Recycle My Electronics^TM program offers the population a simple, efficient, and responsible way to dispose of these products.

"We all have a large quantity of electronics at home that are very useful or entertaining, and that's great! However, eventually, they become unusable or obsolete, so it's important to dispose of them properly by not throwing them out in the garbage or in the recycling bin, and not putting them at the curbside," expressed Martin Carli, scientist and spokesperson for EPRA-Québec. "By doing the simple, small act of bringing our old electronics to any of the close to 1,000 authorized drop-off points in Québec that are accessible free of charge, we are protecting the environment by diverting materials from landfills and contributing to the recovery of the resources contained in electronic devices. Earth Day is the perfect time to do it!"

Authorized drop-off points in all regions
Thanks to EPRA-Québec's Recycle My Electronics^TM program, which enables the responsible and ecological recycling of more than 150 types of products (televisions, laptops, desktop computers, computer accessories, printers, tablets, cellular phones, etc.), more than 140,000 metric tonnes of old electronics have been diverted from landfills since the program was created in 2012. That could fill a row of tractor trailers stretching all the way from Gatineau to Quebec City!

EPRA-Québec takes charge of all electronics brought to its authorized drop-off points across the province, including several municipal ecocentres, many retailers as well as other organizations and companies. The devices are then sent to certified and approved companies that are compliant with Canadian standards, who ensure that they are handled in an environmentally friendly way while minimizing risks to health and safety. Once the end-of-life products are dismantled, component materials such as metals, plastics and glass are sorted, recovered, conditioned and reused to make new products of all types, therefore preserving non-renewable natural resources.

To find an authorized drop-off point in Québec, to see the complete list of accepted products, or to get more information on electronics recycling: www.recycleMYelectronics.ca/qc.

About EPRA-Québec
As a recognized industry-led not-for-profit organization, EPRA-Québec provides an approved environmental compliance program for manufacturers, distributors and retailers of electronics marketed in Québec. It is responsible for implementing and operating, on behalf of its stewards, a responsible program for the recovery and reclamation of electronic products. Its Recycle My Electronics^TM program includes close to 1,000 authorized drop-off points accessible free of charge across the province.

SOURCE Electronic Products Recycling Association of Québec (EPRA-Québec)

Interviews and information: Marie-Pier Kenney, Morin Relations Publiques, 514-757-8619, [email protected]; Marie-Rose Desautels, Morin Relations Publiques, 819-580-9235, [email protected]