...repair ...reuse ...recycle.
Offering a recycling service for discarded electronic devices, working or not! This
is a no-charge service for the residents of Gabriola Island only—I'm not inviting the world to ship their e-Waste to the shores of our little island! This is a limited small-scale initiative to reduce and reuse the amount of tech-related waste generated locally; in an effort to prevent our
island (and a portion of our planet) from looking like WALL•E's world.
Working cooperatively with our
island
recycling depot (GIRO), and the RDN
blue-box recycling program, I would like
to tackle the issue of electronic items ending
up in the city landfill or shipped to other countries.
Consumer electronics are not accepted as-is in the blue-box program, but separated into their base materials they are almost completely recyclable locally, and also surprisingly reusable. Somebody should take them apart. Someone who enjoys such things... meet the Electronic Tinker!
Have you ever been curious about all the different stuff in those electronic devices? Yeah, me too, so using a 10Kg scale I started weighing the piles of separated and sorted material. This data experiment became so eco-inspirational that I now keep statistics and a photo database, updated online regularly.
Discarded Items
Electronic devices accepted:
- computers
- printers
- copiers
- cameras
- appliances
- stereos
- phones
- clocks
- faxes
- toys
NO large appliances or CRT-style TVs & monitors. View a complete list here.
Options
REPAIR: sometimes it's best to repair an item and find it a new home.
REUSE: most always there are salvageable parts, invaluable to the avid tinkerer.
RECYCLE: nearly everything else is properly recycled as either metal or plastic.
Scrap Metals
Separated from non-metallic material and sorted:
- aluminum
- copper
- steel
- tin
- iron
- other
Delivered to GIRO for proper recycling. Some sheet metal, stainless steel, and aluminum items reused for projects.
Kg
%
Plastics
There are all kinds of plastic used in casings and internals of electronic devices.
Most of them are accepted in the blue-box IF they've been separated from the electronic components, circuit boards, metal, glass, paper, fabrics, rubber, glue, sealants, etc.
Reuseable e-Waste
Electronic Tinker Treasure:
- desoldered components
- printed circuit boards
- sensors
- buttons
- motors
- switches
- springs
- pulleys
- LEDs
- knobs
- gears
- gauges
- screws
- plugs
Trash
Unfortunately, parts of the item still ends up trashed, but a LOT less than I imagined!
I'm always seeking further ways to reuse and recycle, or for others who find treasure in my discarded leftovers. Please let me know if you have any ideas.
