Massive Turnout for E-Waste Recycling Day

Trenton - Poor weather wasn't enough to deter the efforts of 800 + Quinte residents and businesses as they took advantage of an opportunity to have their e-waste recycled for free. Quinte Waste Solutions (QWS), an approved collector under the Ontario Electronic Stewardship Program, partnered with the Belleville Green Task Force to bring this waste electronics recycling event to businesses and residents in the area this past Saturday May 8th at the Yardmen Arena.

Jennifer Salutari, Waste Electronics Program Supervisor for QWS was delighted at the quantity of e-waste received. "I was amazed to see so much collected Saturday, the more electronics we gather today will mean less in the landfill tomorrow" she explains. A total of five 53' tractor trailers were filled at the event. Gleaners Food Bank also received support from the community through donations of non-perishables as well as monetary donations.

The high participation at last Saturday's event suggests that another collection day may be necessary. Salutari figures it will be planned sometime in late summer, and reminds residents that they may drop off waste electronics at the Belleville Depot [75 Wallbridge Crescent], along with their Hazardous Waste on Tuesday's between 4pm and 7pm and Thursday's 8am until 2pm. Televisions are not accepted at the Depot because of the amount of space they take up and therefore require special events like the one held this past Saturday.

For more information on waste electronic recycling days, please visit http://www.quinterecycling.org/

More Opportunities to Divert Waste Electronics in Quinte!

Trenton, ON – Beginning April 1st, 2010, Ontario Electronic Stewardship’s waste electronics recycling program will be expanding its list of acceptable items. For residents served by Quinte Waste Solutions, not much will change; this is because they have already been accepting these items for over five years.
Quinte Waste Solutions however, will receive much needed financial relief to assist in covering the costs of diverting these materials. "Up until now, we have been absorbing the cost to divert phase 2 materials, the additional materials approved by OES", explains Jennifer Salutari of Quinte Waste Solutions. "We will now receive a financial incentive to partially offset the operating costs of the program. This will also allow us to expand our special events this year, providing residents with more opportunities to divert their e-waste."
In 2008, Quinte Waste Solutions diverted 80.51 Metric Tonnes (MT) of e-waste from landfill. In 2009, that number increased by over 100% to 162.16 MT. That is the equivalent of 36 x 53’ tractor trailers in two years. "Quinte Waste Solutions’ goal for 2010 is to double the 2009 tonnage" says Jennifer Salutari. "We will achieve this by increasing the number of waste electronic drop off events throughout the Quinte Waste Solutions service area, in addition to our continued efforts of partnering with municipalities to provide local drop off opportunities for the residents of their areas."
Quinte Waste Solutions’ next TV and Waste Electronics Drop-off event will be at the Tyendinaga Township Works Yard on Saturday April 24th between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. This one day event is free to residents and businesses; however a non-perishable food donation will be welcomed for the local Helping Hands Food Bank.
Visit www.ontarioelectronicstewardship.ca for more information on the changes to their program, and check in at www.quinterecycling.org for upcoming opportunities near you.