14 replies to this topic

[lumix]

ElectroRecycle is a non-profit program funded by a recycling fee applied to new electrical products brought into B.C. by small appliance manufacturers and retailers. The fee was introduced on October 1st, 2011 to cover all program costs, including collection, transportation and recycling expenses. The recycling fee may be included in a product's price or displayed as a separate charge at check-out. Click here for a PDF.

Starting July 1st, 2012 a recycling fee will be applied on the sale of new electrical products such as small appliances, power tools and electric fitness equipment.

From http://www.electrore...a/#what-to-know

Taxes upon fees upon costs... it's all racking up!

[Nparker]

Taxes upon fees upon costs... it's all racking up!

"Greening" our planet one more fee at a time

[Nparker]

Taxes upon fees upon costs... it's all racking up!

Sorry about the multiple posts; kept getting an error message. Mods please fee free to delete duplications.

[Baro]

Disposing of all these disposable electronic items is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Now the question is, will this fee actually go towards any sort of environmental benefit or will we just keep shipping the waste to china to poison them instead?

If it costs money to safely dispose of all this junk then that's just the cost of doing business. The question is if the fee is actually being used to safely dispose/recycle the garbage or just dump it in someone else's lap while making the disposal company rich.

[concorde]

So whats next recycling fees on that new couch, dining room table, bed, dresser, etc? This is just another tax

I am all for recycling, as long as it doesn't cost me any money.

[Baro]

Would you like free water and electricity too?

[Holden West]

This is the new reality. We are now paying for the entire life cycle of the appliance.

It still shocks me that appliances and goods that used to be repaired and kept for years and passed on are now discarded by the side of the road and tossed in the garbage after a few months. Computer printers are the worst, followed by old CRT TVs. People will pick up a penny but they'll cross the street to avoid those.

[sebberry]

I once managed a workshop that took in used computers (mostly ex-government PCs but some private donations too) and refurbished them for use in schools so I've seen more than my fair share of piles of used, EOL electronics.

I can tell you that the fees for this badly needed program are quite reasonable. Yes it's sad that people don't repair tools and appliances anymore, but nobody's going to pay $40 to have a $30 toaster oven fixed.

Before this program, people had to pay to dispose of this equipment at local recycle yards. Unfortunately this meant that most items ended up getting stuffed in a black bag and tossed into a dumpster somewhere. Now they're being disposed of properly.

[Nparker]

...Now they're being disposed of properly.

How does a point-of-purchase recycling fee ensure proper disposal? If there were some sort of rebate (like bottle deposits) when these items were taken to be properly disposed I would agree with you, but as it is we pay these fees and we can still dump everything on the side of the road if we choose. There's no incentive to "do the right thing".

And speaking of doing the right thing, why is it that manufacturers aren't obligated to build products that either
a) don't fall apart after a very short lifespan?
b) don't become obsolete as soon as you take them out of the store?

Why is the consumer the only one who has to pay for the environmental damage of poorly built merchandise?

[sebberry]

Good questions.

First, the previous system required users to pay at the time of disposal. This discouraged proper disposal and left users with one other choice: garbage. The new system at least removes the disposal cost to the consumer at the end of the item's life.

There are 11 places in Victoria that accept electronics according to the Encorp website so this makes disposing of such components relatively painless. Judging by the number of computers and parts sitting at the Quadra Salvation Army drop-off center today I'd say the service is well used and accessible drop-off locations only help with this.


As for making things to last longer? Well, better made products ARE available, but they're significantly more expensive. A Panasonic Toughbook laptop computer would stand up much better to the abuse people put laptops through, but they also cost 3-5 times as much.

And do we really want the government dictating how companies should build their products?



As for products becoming obsolete - again, do you want the government telling PC makers they can only come out with two new models per year? I can't see how that could possibly help the economy and I don't see it helping the environment either. Most people aren't throwing out their TVs every year.

[lumix]

Before this program, people had to pay to dispose of this equipment at local recycle yards. Unfortunately this meant that most items ended up getting stuffed in a black bag and tossed into a dumpster somewhere. Now they're being disposed of properly.

I am guilty of this! It never made sense to me that I should be paying someone to take my 'garbage' and make money off of it... except now when I put it that way I think a lot of systems work like this.

[http]

Buy equipment that actually lasts decades, eg. stuff that is designed to be used extensively instead of recycled extensively. I recall ranting previously here about cheap supposed "drills" made with a high plastic to metal ratio.

If a toaster or microwave isn't going to last me twenty years (thirty with regular cleaning), I don't want to buy it at any price - it would only encourage the retailers and manufacturers.

[Holden West]

I've had my Sharp Half-Pint microwave so long it qualifies as vintage. Sometimes you just luck out on an appliance. Although it does help to get a known brand.

We got a great old toaster at a garage sale recently. You can tell by the weight alone it's a quality piece of machinery.

[LJ]

Maybe it would help if you paid a large enviro fee when you purchased an appliance and then got 50% back when you turned it in to a recycling depot.

[sebberry]

Only problem with that is that it assumes the purchaser will be the one returning the appliance/device when it's ready to be recycled.