Electronics recycling program launched in New Brunswick

About 90 per cent of New Brunswickers have end-of-life electronics in their homes, according to EPRA research. (Steve Yeater/Associated Press)

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An electronics recycling program aimed at keeping old and unused products out of landfills is now available in New Brunswick.

The Electronic Products Recycling Association, or EPRA, a not-for-profit, industry-led organization, launched the free drop-off program on Thursday.

Residents and businesses will now be able to take electronic waste, such as computers, printers, TVs, and cellphones, to one of 40 authorized drop-off centres across the province, at no charge.

Once collected and sorted, items will be sent to an EPRA-approved recycling plant to remove "substances of concern for proper downstream management."

Recyclable materials, such as metals, plastics and glass, will then be recovered so they can be processed into new products.

Environment Minister Serge Rousselle says the program will help protect the environment and contribute to the province's green economy. (CBC)

The program, approved by Recycle NB in February, will help protect the environment "by making industry responsible for its waste and removing harmful materials from our landfills," Environment and Local Government Minister Serge Rousselle said in a statement.

It will also contribute to the province's green economy, creating jobs, he said.

3,500 tonnes a year

New Brunswick is now one of 10 provinces to adopt the end-of-life electronics recycling program, according to the EPRA.

The programs keep a combined estimated 100,000 metric tonnes of electronic waste out of Canadian landfills each year, said Cliff Hacking, the president and CEO of the recycling group.

The New Brunswick program is expected to divert roughly 3,500 tonnes annually, officials have said.

"Plus, recovered materials go back into the manufacturing of new products so that fewer natural resources are extracted from the environment," said Hacking.

EPRA New Brunswick will work in partnership with electronics manufacturers, distributors and retailers, provincial and municipal governments and consumers to ensure end-of-life electronics are diverted from landfills and recycled in an efficient and responsible manner.

How and Why Your Business Should Recycle Computers

If your small business has any old computers lying around, you might be at a loss about how to dispose of them properly. Recycling tech isn't always as easy as recycling things like paper and aluminum. But it's just as important.

Computers, including desktops, monitors, laptops and other components, contain materials that can be extremely harmful to the environment. And there are plenty of potential benefits for businesses that choose to recycle. Here's more on how and why your small business should recycle its computers.

Savings on New Purchases

There are a few different ways you can recycle computers. But one of the most attractive options for businesses is to trade in old devices with the manufacturer or a retail store when purchasing new ones.

In this case, you can potentially even save some money on your new computer purchases if the old computers are in decent shape. For example, Staples allows you to trade in old tech devices in stores or even send them in by mail. Apple, Dell, Best Buy and more also have similar programs.

The price you get back depends on the condition and type of each device. But in most cases, getting some money back is better than nothing, especially for businesses making expensive new tech purchases.

Access to Refurbished Goods

There are so many tech innovations and improvements making their way into computers on a regular basis. But a lot of the main components used in building those computers remain roughly the same.

So when you recycle computers, you provide raw materials that manufacturers can then use to make refurbished models or even new devices that just use some of those rough materials or recycled components. This can lead to some more affordable options on the market.

Reduced Harmful Waste

When you dispose of computers instead of recycling them, it can do a lot of harm to the environment. Electronic waste is generally dumped into landfills or incinerated. And since computers contain heavy metals like lead and carcinogens, those materials can be extremely detrimental to the air, land, waterways and the environment as a whole.

How to Recycle Computers

Aside from taking your computers to a retail trade-in program or sending them into a manufacturer, you have a few options for recycling computers. You can check with your local recycling center to make sure they accept devices like computers. You can also contact other local computer shops or refurbishing centers to see if they accept devices, even if you don't plan on making new purchases.

Whichever route you decide to take, your computers can do a lot of good when you choose to recycle them. And the materials in them can do a lot of harm to the environment if you just throw them away. So taking the time to trade in or recycle your old computers and other tech devices can be a win-win for your business and the planet.

INFOGRAPHIC: The e-waste problem and how to help

Think of all the electronics in your life: your phone, tv, computer, game systems, USB drives, printers, Blu ray players, even smart devices like switches and home assistants. Now try to picture what happens to all of those things when they die. Over 50 million tons of e-waste are generated every year, and e-waste is nasty stuff. This infographic shows where e-waste ends up, which devices are the biggest culprits and how you can fight the e-waste problem.

HP Inc. Challenges Tech Industry to Come Clean About Electronics Recycling

According to environmental non-profit Basel Action Network (BAN), electronics recycling may not be quite as straightforward as consumers believe. While some electronics are safely dismantled and have their components scrapped or re-used, the recycling process consists of a complex, multi-step supply chain that ends in the developing world, where e-waste is often exported for treatment and oversight is minimal.

BAN indicates that unsafe environmental and labor conditions are common and have a devastating impact on the countries receiving electronics recyclables. Increased transparency, however, could offer a potential solution - and HP Inc. is ready to rise to the challenge.

Peru's Silver Production Surged Early In 2016, Then Suffered Double-Digit Decline in December

Peru started off 2016 with a bang by increasing silver production 14% in the first three months of the year:

The mining production figures in the table (Source: Peru Ministry of Energy & Mines), shows that Peru's silver production in March increased 10% versus the previous year and nearly 14% in the first three months compared to the same period in 2015.

However, during the last quarter of 2016, Peru's silver production started to level off and then declined in November. For example, Peru's silver production declined 2% in November versus the same month last year and even lower by 11% in December:

The highlighted red area shows Peru's silver production declined 11.38% in December versus the same month in 2015, while overall production increased 6.65%. What is interesting to see here is that Peru's strong percentage gain in silver production in the first half of 2016 was cut in half as production leveled off and then declined in November and December versus the same two months in 2015.

According to the data put out by Peru's Ministry of Energy and Mines, the country's silver production will increase from 4,102 metric tons (mt) in 2015 to 4,374 mt in 2016. This is an increase in silver production from 132 million oz (Moz) in 2015 to 141 Moz in 2016.

However, this big surge in Peru's silver production may peak and decline as mining investment has declined significantly over the past three years. When the spot price of all metals were reaching new highs 2011-2013, mining investment in Peru surged to a record high of $9.9 billion in 2013:

Unfortunately, as the commodity and metal prices declined sharply after 2013, investment in Peru's mining industry plummeted. As we can see, Peru's mining investment fell 57% in 2016 versus its peak in 2013... and 44% compared to the prior year.

While overall mining investment has most certainly dropped significantly in the past three years, the biggest decline came in the "Plant Investment" area. Investment in Peru's mining plant capital expenditures fell a stunning 83% from $1.4 billion in 2013 to $234 million last year. This huge decline in Peru's mining investment will have a negative impact on future metals production in the country.

Furthermore, the Silver Institute (using Thomson Reuters GFMS data) forecasts that global silver production will decline 1% in 2016 even with a 6.6% growth in Peru's domestic mine supply. When the U.S. and global markets finally crack, the prices of base metals will continue to decline. Thus, base metal's production will likely start to fall off in the coming years.

This will have a negative impact on global silver production as copper, zinc and lead account for 56% of by-product silver production (2015). A 20% decline in global copper, zinc and lead production, would likely knock off 100 Moz of global silver production. This assumes that copper, zinc and lead by-product silver production of 500 Moz in 2015, would fall 20% to 400 Moz.

Regardless, the world is now reaching peak production in energy and metals. Unfortunately, the downside of the production profile will not be slow and subtle. Rather, we will likely experience something resembling a CLIFF-LIKE decline in the future.