Precious Resources Left Unused in Québec Households - This Québec Waste Reduction Week, Let's Recycle Our End-of-Life Electronics

MONTRÉAL, Oct. 18, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - For Québec Waste Reduction Week, which runs from October 20 to 28, 2018, the Electronic Products Recycling Association of Québec (EPRA-Québec) wishes to congratulate Quebecers who have reached, this year, the milestone of 100,000 metric tonnes of old electronics recovered since the beginning of the program in 2012; that is over 13 million electronic devices kept out of landfills. In 2017 alone, each Quebecer recycled an average of 2.7 kg ? that's over 22,000 tonnes of products recycled or directed for reuse. EPRA-Québec is very pleased with these results, even though it observes that a large number of Quebecers accumulate old electronics at home, thereby slowing down the reuse of precious resources.

2 out of 3 Quebecers still have old electronics at home
A recent EPRA-Québec survey shows that 2 out of 3 Quebecers still have at home electronics they no longer use, 62% of whom state that they have not had or taken the time to do something about them, have not yet decided what to do with them, or are accumulating them until they are ready to clean out the house. These old devices include, among others, televisions, laptops, desktop computers, computer accessories, printers, tablets, cellular and non-cellular phones, DVD/Blu-Ray players, portable music players, digital cameras and video-game consoles.

Indeed, significant quantities of raw materials such as gold, copper, and silver, which could be used to make new products, are left unused in many Quebec households. Recycling electronics is a simple gesture that allows for the recovery of precious resources instead of having to extract them from the earth at great cost to the environment. For example, it only takes 14 tonnes of recycled e-waste to produce one tonne of copper compared to 80,000 tonnes of raw material acquired from underground. In order to preserve our natural resources, recycling is more efficient and better for the environment than traditional mining.

Martin Carli encourages smart recycling of end-of-life electronics
Again this year, scientist Martin Carli is collaborating with EPRA-Québec to raise awareness among Quebecers about the importance of recycling their old electronics by bringing them to one of the close to 1,000 drop-off points in the province. By doing so, consumers ensure that their devices will be processed safely, securely, and responsibly by certified companies, while contributing to reduce Québec's environmental footprint.

"It is impossible to imagine our lives without electronic devices, but it essential that we dispose of them responsibly and ecologically. These products should never end up in the garbage, the recycling bin or at the curbside! Thanks to the Recycle My Electronics^TM program, Quebecers can enjoy peace of mind, knowing that end-of-life electronics will not be sent to landfills or illegally exported to developing countries, but rather will be recycled in an environmentally respectful way. This ensures that toxic substances such as mercury or lead don't end up in nature," highlights Martin Carli. "There are more than 150 types of products accepted by the program. So let's make Québec Waste Reduction Week the perfect time to bring our old electronics, free of charge, to any authorized drop-off point in Québec."

EPRA-Québec takes charge of all electronics brought to its authorized drop-off points, 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 disassembled, component materials such as metals, plastics and glass are sorted, recovered, conditioned and reused to make new products, therefore preserving non-renewable natural resources.

To find one of the close to 1,000 authorized drop-off points in Québec, to see the complete list of accepted products, or to get more information on electronics recycling, go to www.recycleMYelectronics.ca/qc.

Collection events throughout the province
In addition to EPRA-Québec's widely accessible network of authorized drop-off points, several collection events are organized across the province in partnership with municipalities and various partners. For example, a special collection event is being held at all Brault & Martineau stores on October 27 and 28. The public is invited to look up the events calendar regularly on EPRA-Québec's website.

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 Quebec. It is responsible for implementing and operating, on behalf of its stewards, a responsible program for the recovery and reclamation of electronic products in accordance with standards established by EPRA and the requirements of the Quebec Product Stewardship Program for End-of-Life Electrical and Electronic Equipment.

SOURCE Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA)