Electronic recycling: A friend or foe to students?
Bella Coco, News Editor |
Starting in 2025, Albertans will have the opportunity to recycle over 500 different types of electronic items, which include – but are not limited to – cell phones, solar panels, musical instruments and children’s toys.
To help the province and citizens adapt to the recycling expansion, the pilot program run by the Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA) has helped sustainably recycle hundreds of electronics. The four year –and counting – effort will help the initiative become permanent in the province.
However, the evolution in recycling also may bring an evolution in related costs.
Consumers may be required to pay a minimal environmental fee, where the figures will be applied when they initially purchase their designated electronic products.
Environment and Protected Areas minister Rebecca Schulz says figures from 40 cents to $1 are possible, depending on the item recycled, and are subject to change in the future.
“That was an estimate from the department on where we may be started right now, but they may change given industry feedback over the next couple of months,” she told Calgary CityNews.
The government predicts that the recycling initiative will draw away 5,500 tons of electronic waste from provincial landfills. As of current, the province does not have a dedicated program specific to solar panels, but a pilot program for solar panels, wind turbines, and electronic vehicle batteries is in the works.
According to the provincial government, without the specific program for solar panel recycling, over 800,000 solar panels could reach the end of their life by 2050. The government, alongside with ARMA, also plans to investigate furthering the life span of solar panels.
To help workers identify any electronic hazards when recycling, the provincial government has also invested $250,000 into an artificial-intelligence X-ray system.
Since 2020, the pilot program has already diverted 14,000 tonnes from Alberta landfills.
Eligible electronic items that can be recycled in 2025 include:
- Cell phones
- Video game equipment
- Small appliances (microwaves, small fridges, coffee machines, digital scales)
- Gardening and lawn care equipment
- Musical instruments (electric guitars, keyboards, electric basses)
- Toys
- Power tools
- A/V devices (speakers, DVD players)
“These changes are a major step forward for our province and our country, and of course, this is a legacy that we will leave future generations,” said Schulz.
Starting in April 2025, Albertans can drop off eligible electronic items at 365 registered depots scattered across 148 municipalities in the province.
For students, this may mean extra fees on purchasing new electronic devices to help further service their studies in the school year, like laptops and tablets.
However, with a potential new solar panel recycling program and enhancement program on the way, this could mean more sustainable energy sources for post secondary institutions in Calgary, and at MRU.
Government officials are set to release more information on solar panel recycling in the fall.
