[getsmart-l] Ontario plans electronics recycling fee

[John O'Gorman]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080710.wontfee0710/BNStory/National/home
Ontario plans electronics recycling fee
The Canadian Press July 10, 2008 at 11:50 AM EDT

TORONTO — Ontario will become the latest province to charge a recycling fee on electronics, starting in the spring.

In April, televisions, computers, peripherals, monitors and fax machines will be affixed with a surcharge to help pay for recycling the electronic waste.

The cost for a TV will be $10 and, for a desktop computer, $13.

A year later, fees will also be charged on things like cellphones, cameras, DVD players and stereos.

The fees will be charged to manufacturers and it is not yet known whether companies will absorb the cost or pass it on to the consumer.

Similar fees have been implemented in Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan.

The province also plans to have 420 drop-off locations opened up by April where old electronics can be taken for recycling.

By the fifth year of the plan, the province hopes to have 650 depots.

Between homeowners and businesses, Ontario throws out about 90,000 tonnes of waste from computers, printers and televisions each year.

The province says that number could grow to 123,000 tonnes in five years.

That is the equivalent of four million desktop computers, 1.5 million notebook computers, 1.2 million computer monitors, 1.5 million printers and 2.2 million TVs.

Only about 27 per cent of that waste is recycled and the rest is either taken to landfills or exported overseas where environmental or human-health implications could be dangerous.

It is hoped that the recycling rate will increase to more than 60 per cent within five years.

Electronic products often contain toxic elements such as lead, cadmium and mercury, which could create environmental impacts and health problems if not properly dealt with.
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