Waste Not, Want Not - E-waste Collection

Five of Canada's banks kick off sustainable efforts to recycle and raise awareness about e-waste

TORONTO, April 17, 2013 /CNW/ - Five Canadian banks, BMO, CIBC, RBC, Scotiabank and TD, are working together to raise awareness about the environmental impacts of electronic waste, commonly referred to as e-waste. The banks will be hosting an e-waste recycling event in the Toronto financial district on April 18-19, 2013 from 7:30AM - 3:30PM, at the southeast corner of Bay Street and King Street West.

The event will provide an excellent opportunity for people working in and around the financial district to bring in personal electronic waste items from home for responsible disposal and to learn more about the environmental impacts of e-waste globally. Electronic items such as computer components (hard drives, monitors, scanners, keyboards, printers, etc.), home electronics (TVs, radios, CD and DVD players, etc.) and small home and office appliances are all acceptable materials for electronic recycling. For guidance on acceptable items please see: Ontario Electronic Stewardship - Accepted Electronics.

The United Nations considers e-waste as one of the fastest growing waste streams in the world with an estimated 45 million tonnes of e-waste generated each year globally. Annual e-waste volumes are increasing by a staggering 40 percent worldwide due to increasing demand for consumer electronics products and the drop in lifespan for products such as computers and mobile phones.

Many electronic devices contain toxic and hazardous materials like lead, cadmium and mercury. If e-waste is simply disposed of in landfills, hazardous materials could contaminate soil, water and air as well as create potential health risks. There is also an ethical responsibility to ensure e-waste is not shipped to other countries with limited environmental, health and safety standards.

The banks have partnered with Geep (Global Electric Electronic Processing) to ensure all items collected at the event are recycled with emphasis on the responsible disposal of any hazardous materials. Geep's state-of-the-art recycling plants transform e-waste into valuable commodities by running it through refining equipment that breaks down and separates metals, plastics, and other materials. Geep has a "no export" policy, which means e-waste is not shipped overseas for dismantling or disposal.

"Geep is very excited to be participating in this event - especially as a partner with Canada's largest banks. The priority placed on responsible recycling of e-waste by these companies is exceptional. Their commitment to this event and raising public awareness is a great contribution to Canada, and to the world in demonstrating environmental conscientiousness", said Jeff Jermyn, Geep - President.

About Geep

Geep (Global Electric Electronic Processing) is a global leader in the electronic asset management and end-of-life electronics recycling. Geep is committed to enabling safe and secure reuse of electronics through complete and permanent data erasure, recovery of natural resources from obsolete electronics, and safe and responsible recycling of electronics to divert waste from landfill. Geep has locations across Canada, in the United States, Mexico, Central America, South America and Europe. Geep is part of the Giampaolo Group of Companies.

To learn more about the five Canadian banks participating in this event, please visit the websites below.

BMO: http://www.bmo.com
CIBC: https://www.cibc.com
RBC: http://www.rbc.com
Scotiabank: http://www.scotiabank.com
TD: http://www.tdcanadatrust.com

SOURCE: Global Electric Electronic Processing Inc. (Geep)

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