If you can't sell it on craigslist and your kids have lost interest, consider recycling that once-favorite electronic toy at your local Return-It Depot.
Families now have a recycling option for all those beeping and buzzing and battery-powered toys that are no longer useful and are gathering dust in the closet. Beginning July 1, electronic toys will be accepted at specific recycling locations around B.C., including Coquitlam.
The Canadian Brandowners Residual Stewardship Organization (CBRSC), Electronic Toy Recycling started the electronic toy recycling program; it's the first of its kind in Canada and the only government-approved electronic toy recycling program in B.C.
The program will accept electronic toys for recycling, ranging from small electronic toy giveaways to large ride-on electrically powered toys.
"Electronic toy recycling is part of an important environmental initiative for British Columbia, and our membership is committed to collecting and recycling these products responsibly and effectively," Lyndall Fry, CBRSC president stated in a press release. "We know British Columbians are ready for a program like the Electronic Toy Recycling program. British Columbians actively participate in multiple programs across the Province and we are confident that B.C residents will actively support the program."
Once an electronic toy is brought to a drop-off location, it is transported to Genesis Recycling, a local processor in Langley, and separated into different materials for recycling.
Metals will be smelted down and recycled into other metal products, while plastics will be sorted and sold or reused in various manufacturing processes. All batteries will be recycled with a cooperate agreement between Electronic Toy program and the Call2Recycle battery recycling program. All electronics will be managed by rigorous R2/e-Stewards certified standards.
According to the press release, the new electronic toy recycling program is a partnership with Waste Management of Canada and 12 other industry-managed recycling programs for beverage containers, tires and electronics, batteries, oil, gasoline and other flammables.
Examples of accepted electronic toys are:
Plush textile toys with electronics powered by batteries or plugs
Hard plastic toys with electronics powered by batteries or plugs
Remote control vehicles with electronics powered by batteries or plugs
In Coquitlam, these toys, as well as larger electronic gaming devices, can be dropped off at the Lougheed Return-It Depot at 1045A Lougheed HIghway. In Port Coquitlam, these e-toys can be dropped off at the Salvation Army branch at 2274 Elgin Street.
To find out where to recycle smaller e-toys typically geared to kids 14 and under, visit www.cbrsc.ca. To find out where to drop off large console gaming devices, visit http://rcbc.bc.ca/recyclepedia and select your area.
