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Plastic Bag Reduction Initiative Education Series E-Waste Pilot Project Back to top

Zwat conducts member ship Survey

Spring up to clean up 2010

May 12 2010 Meeting

3 Rs Workshop a huge success

Jan. 20 Meeting

E-Waste Pilot Project

ZWATeam and Pack Pros Plus

2004 Electronic-Waste Diversion Pilot Project

Discarded electronic products like computers, monitors, fax machines and photocopiers are a growing component of the municipal waste stream. Many of them contain materials such as lead, mercury and cadmium that are toxic to humans, wildlife and the environment.  In 2002, Canadians tossed away 155,000 tonnes of computers and electronic waste, the equivalent weight of 22,276 full-grown elephants!  A lot of energy and resources went into the manufacture of these products, and they should be refurbished and reused if possible.

 In 2003, in response to members’ concerns about electronic waste being sent to landfill and contaminating the water table, the ZWATeam formed an E-Waste Diversion Stakeholder Committee. Over the next year the Committee, which was comprised of several ZWATeam members, Patrick Fenlon, Manager of Pack Pros Plus, Dan Munshaw, City of Thunder Bay and Wim Smits, MOE Advisor, developed infrastructure to provide a long-term computer and electronic waste diversion solution for Thunder Bay and Region.  A process was developed to inventory, package, collect and ship stockpiled e-waste to Logic Box, a primary processor in Mississauga.  Logic Box would send equipment that couldn’t be refurbished to the Noranda E-Waste Recycling Plant in Brampton.  A priority was to ensure that any e-waste collected would not be sent to third world countries, where it is dismantled and heavy metals are reclaimed using methods that pose health hazards and environmental destruction.

 In March, 2004 a media event was held to celebrate the shipment of 80,000 pounds of participants’ stockpiled e-waste to Logic Box and Noranda’s E-Waste Plant. Over the next year, Pack Pros worked to improve the process and make it as cost-effective as possible. Early in 2005, the Pack Pros Plus E-Waste Collection Depot was launched.  In addition to creating three local jobs, more than 400,000 pounds of e-waste have been diverted from landfill by Pack Pros in Thunder Bay and Region since 2004. The ZWATeam’s E-Waste Pilot Project ensured that Thunder Bay is well-prepared to participate in the Ministry of the Environment’s industry-funded E-Waste Stewardship Program which will be launched early in 2009.

The ZWATeam’s E-Waste Pilot Project Committee followed the same process that was developed for the  ZWATeam’s Fluorescent Light Recycling Pilot Project:

·        Bring all stakeholders together to form committee

·        Identify and reduce/eliminate barriers to success

·        Develop a plan of action; if one approach doesn’t work, try another

·        Seek sponsors as required

·        Provide education and incentives to get community onboard

·        Lobby elected officials for bylaws/legislation to support initiative

·        Have a media launch and celebration

·        Ongoing monitoring and continuous improvement 

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