Residents can drop off electronic waste at four depots in York Region

 

NEWMARKET – The Regional Municipality of York is reminding residents to drop off their electronic waste (e-waste), including computers, VCRs, digital cameras and cell phones, free-of-charge, to one of four public drop-off waste depots operated across the Region.

 

The e-waste that is dropped off by residents to York Region waste depots is diverted to local companies to be recycled, reused and properly disposed of in an environmentally-sound way.  Diverting e-waste from the regular garbage stream frees up valuable landfill space and increases the Region's diversion rates.

 

The amount of e-waste collected by York Region at its depots is steadily increasing.  In 2006, a total of 440 tonnes of electronic waste was collected, a 35 per cent increase from 2005 figures.

 

Materials Accepted: • Computers, including modems, attachments, cables and software • Disks, CDs and DVDs • Monitors, printers, scanners, electronic video games • Telephones, pagers, fax machines • VCRs, DVD players, radios, stereos (without audio speakers) • Digital cameras, automobile "computer" modules • Electronic thermostats without mercury

Materials Not Accepted: • Audio speakers • Televisions • Electric typewriters • Electric calculators • Audio speakers from stereos and automobiles • Conventional cameras • Electronic thermostats with mercury

Residents are permitted to drop off four units of computer equipment as well as six units of additional e-waste per visit, free-of-charge.

 

Locations of the drop off depots: 

 

Please see attached Fact Sheet for hours of operation which differ for each depot.
 
The Minister of the Environment announced last month plans for a future industry-funded e-waste program to provide Ontarians with convenient, accessible options for recycling e-waste.  This program would ensure industries that produce electronic products are responsible for taking them back and managing the waste in an environmentally and socially responsible way. 

 

For more information on York Region's electronic waste drop-off program and the Solid Waste Management Branch, please visit www.york.ca and click on "Services", then "Garbage and Recycling" or call 1-877-464-9675 to speak to a York Region representative.

 

For more information on The Regional Municipality of York, please visit www.york.ca

 

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Media Contact: Tracy Smith, Communications Specialist, York Region
 Phone:  905 830-4444, ext. 1209 or Cell: 905 251-6412
 Email: Tracy.Smith@york.ca