E-waste on the Rise

Here in Canada we’ve finally begun addressing the issue of electronic waste. As new phones and electronics make last year’s gadgets look passé, we ditch the ones we had for the newer, better models. Even if we hang onto our phones and computers for as long as possible, the majority of them have an average lifespan of 4-5 years — and by then, let’s face it, they’re ancient!
The EPRA — electronics product recycling association — has branches set up across the country, in every province except New Brunswick. Their job is to get electronics out of landfill and back into the production stream. Perhaps one of the most heartening principles of the EPRA is that it will not ship unprocessed electronic waste off-shore; we are dealing with it right here in Canada. We’re not perfect, but e-waste recycling, an industry-based initiative, is increasing so that more and more valuable and toxic metals and plastics are being removed from the waste stream and put back into the production stream.

Below is an infographic regarding what is happening with e-waste globally.