M.D. details new electronics recycling plan

On Wednesday, the M.D. of Bonnyville released a video detailing its participation in Alberta Recycling’s electronics recycling pilot project, with the goal of turning old electronics into new, useful materials.

This will help to further divert waste from M.D. landfills, which has been a top concern of the municipality for some time.

“The project will last for two years, and has a $403 million investment behind it,” said M.D. Waste Services Manager Brad Ollen in video release. “In that time we’re predicting we’ll be able to recycle around 500 different electronic products.”

The purpose of the project is to help Alberta Recycling collect enough data through research and analysis of the recycling processes and present its findings to the Alberta government so that the electronics recycling program can be advanced throughout the province.

The M.D.’s current electronics recycling program allows items such as TVs, computers, computer monitors, computer accessories, laptops, printers, fax machines, and photo copiers.

Under Alberta Recycling’s pilot plan recyclables will be split up into six categories — small appliances such as toasters and hair dryers, audiovisual equipment such as satellite dishes and speakers, telecommunication products, power tools, electronic toys, and musical instruments with batteries asked to be included, and residential solar panels that residents might use on camping trips or on the roofs of their houses.

All household batteries will also be accepted.

Excluded items will include garage door openers, water softeners, washers and dryers, light fixtures, lawn and garden tools, commercial and industrial solar panels, water coolers, and dehumidifiers as they fall under a business telecommunications categorization.

“What you’re going to see at our site is we have seven Langfield transfer stations to accept these items along with new signage with examples of the different categories,” said Ollen. “We’re working on creating separate areas away from our existing electronics recycling program items to ensure that these items are kept separate.”

Ollen went on to explain that there would be no extra fees to recycle products as a result of the program, nor will there be any extra costs to products to account for the program until the end of its pilot period, which is two years.

The program started provincewide on Sept. 1.