Summer students (Evan & Brett) joined by maintenance team member (Brent) collected old electronics and devices from tenants with the goal to keep e-waste out of our landfills. This year’s project amassed an estimated 3265 lbs. of electronics! To put that into perspective, the average weight of a female hippo is 3000 lbs.

Since the beginning of the electronics recycling program in 2017, a total of 13,797 lbs. of electronics have been collected. The largest and heaviest land animal in existence is an African bush elephant and has an average weight of 13,000 lbs. African bush elephants need to eat about 350 pounds of vegetation every day. The total weight of electronics diverted from the landfill during this program is more than an elephant and two days’ worth of vegetation!

What happens to the electronics we have collected? Once they are dropped off to be recycled EPRA (Electronics Products Recycling Association) begins their process. The approved management program states “Recycling, which diverts electronic waste from landfills and illegal export, typically involves some form of “primary” or initial processing, which may include dismantling and sorting of material by hand or by more elaborate mechanical means. Further manual or mechanical separation of materials by another vendor or vendors is considered “downstream” processing. Material flows will be tracked to their “point of final processing”, i.e., where they are altered into a new product or state or, for unrecyclable hazardous materials, to their point of disposal, i.e., where they are disposed of in an environmentally sound manner. EPRA encourages the safe and environmentally responsible reuse and refurbishing of electronic devices.” (Leblanc 12).

Where do these electronics go? “End of life electronics are picked up at approved EPRA drop off centers on a weekly basis. They are then transported to a consolidation center where they are consolidated and transported on a weekly basis to an approved EPRA processor.” (Leblanc 14).

Functioning electronics were donated to the Habitat for Humanity Restore. All other electronics were taken to the Fundy Regional Service Commission to be recycled. Commercial Properties Limited is very grateful to the tenants who participated.

Work Cited

October 16, 2020, Frank Leblanc, CEO dear Mr. Leblanc, – recycle NB. (n.d.). Retrieved July 21, 2022, from https://www.recyclenb.com/storage/files/shares/management-plans/EPRA_New_Brunswick_Program_Plan_Renewal_-April_19__2021_Final_ENG.pdf

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