February 2007

recycling televisions and computers

The major television networks announced to great fanfare to signal their conversion to high definition (HD), a technological breakthrough that will make obsolete most TVs that are currently found in homes in Quebec. We can already imagine the mountain of electronic waste to be generated when consumers will buy an HDTV next Christmas!

In Quebec alone, we buy each year over 3.5 million units from the information technology and communications, "ICT", which includes computers, scanners, printers , televisions and cell phones. These electronic devices have an average lifespan of 2 to 3 years, after which we got rid of for more efficient models. This generates 30,000 tonnes of waste annually of which only 6% will be recycled.

This is a real aberration, especially when you consider that 82% of the weight of a computer is recyclable ... And that the reclamation operation to collect the waste and dispose of hazardous materials they contain already exists! Lead, cadmium, beryllium, arsenic and mercury content in ICT represent a high risk to human health and the environment. Send a single computer screen at the landfill is to liberate the 2.4 kg of lead content directly from nature, the risk of contaminating groundwater.

In hopes of giving new life to our aircraft are moving huge quantities of used computer equipment to developing countries: India receives up to 20,000 pounds per day and Nigeria, 500 containers per month. Unfortunately, 75% of the material is sent unusable. It is destroyed improperly, becoming a risk to human health who live near landfills where they accumulate. In some cases, can be observed lead levels 2,000 times higher than the standards recommended by the World Health Organization.

The work of photographer Paul-Antoine Pichard testament to the devastation caused by the dumping of wastes and its consequences on the lives of others.

What to do: In the province, five CFER (Centers for job training and recovery) have demonstrated their expertise in hardware recycling and recovery of heavy metals. In one year, they hijacked of the landfill over 880,000 pounds of equipment. These centers are ready to expand across the province to continue this mission.

Just feed this network of future recovery. How? By creating a base indispensable and easy access for citizens. The easiest way for consumers to dispose of their obsolete electronic equipment is to bring them back where they sell. Retailers are the logical link between consumers and business recovery.

in Quebec the success of recycling initiatives and paint used tires demonstrates that collaboration with retailers is possible and desirable to address the problem of hazardous waste.

is why we want to take this popular event this evening to launch a call to action. We pledge to contact each of the major electronics retailers in the province, inviting them to participate with us in the collection effort of ICT. Their participation will collect outdated equipment.

From our side, we, the initiators of this query, we pledge to act as facilitators between the parties concerned to achieve this collective request.

Those present at the conference of Garbage here and there, behind the scenes have confirmed their support for this approach by their signature. You too can support this initiative by signing this letter of support online.

Serve your support: Life in Green

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Thank

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