After a busy season of giving and receiving gifts, some people are now turning their attention to de-cluttering and for parents that means getting rid of broken or unwanted toys.
Rather than just tossing them in the trash, some of the games and trinkets with electrical components can be recycled.
"Basically anything from your McDonald's giveaway toys that have a little light up in them, to children's video games systems like the Vtech to remote-control cars to doll houses that have lights and sounds," said P.G. Recycling and Return-It Centre manager Ken Ziemer.
The facility, formerly known as BBK Bottle Depot, accepts any toys designed for children aged 14 or under which contain some form of electrical component, from batteries to a plug. The age restriction was put in to avoid conflicts with other electronics recycling programs.
The toy recycling program opened this summer but hasn't been widely used yet, although Ziemer expects it will pick up as the holiday season winds down.
"I know as a parent myself, I definitely will be taking advantage, while my kids are distracted with the new toys, I'll move some of the old ones out," he said.
Once toys are brought to the facility, they're sorted and sent off to the appropriate recycling centres. Ziemer said by finding new uses for parts of the toys, it helps the environment.
"Far better to have it recycled for the environment than to have a bunch of plastic sitting in our landfills that could otherwise be reused," Ziemer said.
The centre also offers other electronic recycling options from products ranging from small household appliance to power tools to telephones.
