Québec Waste Reduction Week - EPRA-Québec Survey: 68% of Quebecers Believe That Recycling Old Electronics Is More Important Today Than Ten Years Ago

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 19, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - With Québec Waste Reduction Week (QWRW) set to begin, the Electronic Products Recycling Association of Québec (EPRA–Québec) unveils today the results of its most recent survey. As the organization celebrates the tenth anniversary of its Recycle My Electronics^TM program and takes stock of the last decade, the poll reveals that 68% of Quebecers believe that recycling old electronics is more important today than ten years ago.

According to the same survey, 76% of respondents think that the Recycle My Electronics^TM program greatly or reasonably increased their awareness of the importance of recycling old electronics. As a result, thanks to the collective effort of Quebecers, more than 175,000 tonnes of old electronics have been recovered and reclaimed since 2012.

"Without a doubt, Quebecers are more and more committed to doing their part for the climate. It should be noted that 90% of them are taking more concrete actions to protect the environment than ten years ago, such as by bringing their old electronic devices to a drop-off point. The latest EPRA–Québec survey also reveals that 76% of Quebecers believe that the Recycle My Electronics^TM program has had an impact on protecting the environment. That is excellent news and we are proud of the road we have travelled since the launch of the program," says with enthusiasm Martin Carli, scientist and EPRA-Québec's official spokesperson. "It is, however, essential that we continue our efforts because there are still too many end-of-life electronics in Québec homes."

Continuing efforts for the environment

Though close to the half the population (47%) has recycled one of their old electronics over the past year, the survey also shows us that 44% of Quebecers still have at home old electronics that they want to get rid of. Actually, in these Québec homes, there would be on average 2.4 obsolete devices ready to be recycled. It is therefore essential to continue our efforts to protect the environment and to safely dispose of these objects. So, with QWRW soon taking place between October 21 and 30, EPRA–Québec invites the population once again to seek out authorized drop-off points to get rid of their electronic "waste".

EPRA-Québec takes charge of all electronics brought to any one of their close to 1,000 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 products are dismantled, component materials such as metals, plastics and glass are sorted and recovered for the purpose of being conditioned and reused to make all kinds of new products, therefore preserving non-renewable natural resources.

In total, there are more than 150 types of products that are accepted by the Recycle My Electronics^TM program. These include, among others, TVs, laptop and desktop computers as well as their accessories, printers, tablets, cellular and non-cellular phones, DVD/Blu-ray players, portable music players, digital cameras, and video game consoles.

To see the complete list of accepted products, to find an authorized drop-off point in Québec, and to get more information on electronics recycling, visit 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. Since the beginning of the program in 2012, more than 175,000 metric tonnes of old electronics have been diverted from landfills.

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

Interviews and information: Marie-Rose Desautels, Morin Relations Publiques, 819-580-9235, [email protected]; Adèle St-Jacques, Morin Relations Publiques, 819-580-1819, [email protected]