Alberta's E-Waste Recycling Program to Undergo Major Expansion

Estimates suggest that consumer goods are responsible for nearly 80% of the mercury and lead in water ways across the world.

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Jason Nixon, Alberta’s new environment minister has expressed plans to expand the existing mandatory electronics recycling program by including more categories of products. This will help to keep valuable commodities out of Alberta landfills and prevent leakage of toxins such as mercury and lead into province’s soil and waterways, he noted. Incidentally, the province has not made notable progress in electronics recycling, although it was the first province in Canada to introduce levy-based electronics recycling program.

The Minister said that the new government is committed to protecting Alberta’s environment and reducing the volume of waste sent to province’s landfills. It will explore all innovative ways, in partnership with stakeholders, to deliver significant improvements to recycling system, the minister added. Extending the product list by including bulky items such as microwaves should save landfill costs and prevent toxins from leaching out into soil and groundwater, he added. Estimates suggest that consumer goods are responsible for nearly 80% of the mercury and lead in water ways across the world.

The Alberta government considers changes to the program by adding over 200 products ranging from small appliances such as microwaves and toasters to vacuum cleaners, curling irons and power tools. It must be noted that 75% of Albertans have already extended support to expansion of the program.

As per existing program, the environmental fees levied upon sale of new new computer, laptop, tablet, printer, monitor, fax, scanner or television goes to Alberta Recycling Management Authority. Out of the collected fees, 83% goes as recycling expenditure, 14% goes in the form of administration expenses and the balance 3% is utilized for R&D and program awareness.

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