Business PickupWhile waste reduction is a goal that should be pursued year-round, it becomes an even greater focus for Canadians in October. Each year, the Circular Innovation Council hosts its annual Waste Reduction Week to engage citizens in positive changes that minimize waste. This year, the campaign celebrates its 20th anniversary and will be held from October 18th through the 24th. Here’s a closer look at what the week entails, especially in terms of e-waste.
The Focus of Waste Reduction Week
In the two decades for which it’s been running, the goals of Waste Reduction Week have been to educate and empower Canadians to become more environmentally conscious in their choices and behaviours. A primary objective of the campaign is to reduce the environmental impact of waste, including climate change, the use and depletion of natural resources, and water pollution.
Much has changed since the campaign’s inception 20 years ago, including provincial legislation for the management of e-waste in Canada. With this in mind, the theme of Waste Reduction Week in 2021 is Then – Now – Future. While it recognizes and celebrates the environmental efforts that have already been made and how we handle e-waste now, it also aims to encourage more environmentally beneficial ideas and solutions to reduce our environmental impact in the future.
The Importance of E-Waste Reduction
Each day of Waste Reduction Week will focus on a specific target area. E-waste is featured mid-week on Wednesday, October 20th. As a growing problem in Canada and across the globe, e-waste continues to be an area of recycling that demands attention from organizations and consumers alike. Last year, the world reached a total electronic waste volume of 53.6 million metric tonnes – an increase of 21% over five years, with just 17.4% of e-waste being recycled.
This segment of waste includes unwanted electronic equipment such as laptops, phones, and tablets, as well as batteries and cables. Many of these items contain toxins such as mercury and lead, which can have serious environmental consequences when handled improperly. Aside from these risks, failure to reuse and recycle unwanted electronics also overlooks an enormous potential to repurpose valuable components. Fortunately, there are options available to minimize the environmental impact of e-waste and maximize the lifecycle of renewable materials. The responsible disposal of e-waste is made easier with partners like Quantum, who offer e-waste reuse and recycling options for every organization.
How You Can Practice Waste Reduction
Waste reduction isn’t confined to one week, and now is as good a time as any to create your own habits that help to minimize waste and its environmental impact. If your organization has electronics that are no longer needed, schedule a pickup from our team to safely and securely dispose of them. If you’re a resident, visit one of our residential dropoff locations, where you can bring your unwanted electronics for recycling. Or, encourage others to safely recycle their e-waste by partnering with Quantum to organize a collection drive in your community
As a company founded on the principle of sustainability, Quantum helps you reduce e-waste not only this October but year-round. Explore our simple yet effective solutions including secure reuse and recycling services here.