The City of Selkirk is excited to be taking over as the recycling depot for household hazardous waste and electronic products following the Dec. 31 closure of Responsible Electronics Recycling (RER).
On Jan. 14, the city will begin accepting used and unwanted electronic products at Selkirk Waste Transfer Station (WTS) located at Walker Avenue, west of Hwy. 4.
Ryan Sicinski, Manager of Public Works for the City of Selkirk, said collection of household hazardous waste requires a provincial licence and the city is in the process of acquiring one.
The Stonewall and Brady (Winnipeg) landfills will accept Selkirk residents’ HHW in the meantime, or, you can keep your household hazardous products at home in a safe place until the city’s licensing process is complete. At that time, household hazardous waste will be accepted at the Selkirk WTS as well.
There is no charge for either service.
Big shoes to fill
Selkirk Mayor Larry Johannson said first and foremost, he wanted to commend Alvin and Karen Keppler for their years of service running RER.
“The Kepplers have been terrific stewards of the environment and have done a fantastic job of keeping electronics of all kinds out of the waste stream. I applaud their efforts and thank them on behalf of city council and staff,” Johannson said.
“The city will take over where the Kepplers have left off and along with our partners in recycling we’ll strive for the same high standards and ensure Selkirk continues to be a leader in environmental issues.”
The city’s Strategic Plan makes environmental stewardship a priority and commits to protecting natural features and resources in the community by improving city practices and services and helping citizens make good environmental choices.
The electronics that will be accepted at the WTS include home computers, laptops, printers, screens, TVs, cell phones and microwaves. For a complete list of acceptable items, click here.
Great things happen with great partnerships
Transfer station and Public Works staff will monitor the electronics until they are picked up by Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA), an industry-led, not-for-profit organization that operates regulated recycling programs across Canada that ensure end-of-life electronics are handled in a safe, secure and environmentally-sound manner.
Once EPRA picks up the electronics from the transfer station, they are sent to audited and approved specialized recyclers for processing. New technology is used to break down old technology and harvest the raw materials including glass, plastics, and precious metals like gold and copper. Substances like mercury and lead are also handled responsibly to protect both the environment and the health and safety of the workers handling them. The recovered materials are put back into the manufacturing supply chain and used to make new products.
EPRA has more than 2,000 authorized collection sites across Canada.
Once the city obtains its licence to collect household hazardous waste at the WTS, it will be Product Care Association (PCA) that will take HHW from the transfer station and ensure it doesn’t end up in the landfill.
PCA has worked in Selkirk with RER since 2012 and Kathy Cass, PCA’s Manitoba Program Coordinator, said they’re happy to continue the relationship with the City of Selkirk.
“Product Care Association’s Stewardship Program Plan for Household Hazardous Waste diversion, has been in the community since August 2012,” Cass said.
“We are very proud to continue supporting this vibrant City of Selkirk and look forward to the growth of this service to the residents. Being a part of the commitment made by the City of Selkirk public works at their new convenient location is our pleasure.”
Items included in the HHW stream are paint, flammable liquids, pesticides, corrosives and non-refillable gas cylinders. For a complete list of accepted products, click here.
To visit EPRA’s website go to epra.ca. For PCA’s website, go to productcare.org.
