Recycling ambassadors are touring the province to let British Columbians know about their electric options.
As of July 1, the Canadian Electrical Stewardship Association expanded their ElectroRecycle program (formerly called Unplugged). New categories of recyclables such as power tools, sewing machines, exercise equipment and leisure devices (such as electric binoculars) have been added to the already accepted kitchen appliances, electric toothbrushes and floor cleaners.
ElectroRecycle representatives will be in Prince George to answer questions about the program on Aug. 19 during Summerfest.
The program - the only government-approved one in B.C. - is funded by a fee on new electrical products brought into the province by manufacturers and retailers. The recycling fee ranges from $0.25 to $10 and covers collection, transportation and recycling. It is either included in the product's price or displayed as a separate charge at the time of purchase. The fee was introduced last October and is now applied to items that were recently added to the program.
According to the association, the program diverts these materials from landfills and offers a number of environmental benefits including saving energy by recycling materials instead of making them from scratch.
"Now with an expanded list of accepted product categories and a province-wide network of convenient drop-off locations, most British Columbians can responsibly and effectively recycle more of their household electrical products as part of their regular routine," said association president Darrell Clarke.
Items can be dropped off locally at BBK Bottle Depot at 2629 Vance Rd. and the Salvation Army at 1990 Ogilvie Street.
For a full list of products accepted under the ElectroRecycle program, visit www.electrorecycle.ca.
