E-waste collection a hit in Windsor

By Jennifer Hoegg

The Hants journal/NovaNewsNow.com

Old computers and TVs arrive steadily at Windsor Recycling since owners Jamie and Teria Rogers began collecting electronic e-waste Feb. 18.

A month into collection, Teria Rogers says that the program is “working well. We’re getting quite a bit. We probably get four or five TVs a day and a couple of computers.”

Rogers’ customers are enthusiastic about the program and are often surprised that the disposal service is free. “People have been trying to give us money to take their stuff!”

Local residents will welcome a planned 2009 expansion of the program to include more electronics, including scanners and cell phones, she said. Many of her customers would like to bring in more e-waste but are confused about what electronics can be dropped off. “When it comes to phase two and we can take more stuff, people will be pleased. For example, we take printers and printer/scanners, but not scanners.”

In the mean time, the depot’s e-waste storage area is slowly filling with printers, monitors, computers and TVs. Rogers says that the first pick-up by the Resource Recovery Fund Board (RRFB) is expected this week.

Customers are also wondering why not all off the province’s Enviro-Depots are able to take e-waste, Rogers said. As depots only receive cents per tonne of e-waste collected, low revenue potential may be holding back the program. ‘There’s really no money in it.”

As of Feb. 1, all electronic waste is banned from Nova Scotia landfills. Electronics industry group, Atlantic Canada Electronics Stewardship is responsible for e-waste collection, but has contracted the RRFB to coordinate the effort. The program is partially financed by an environmental handling fee on new electronics purchases. Currently, there are 33 locations for e-waste drop-off in the province.