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Unplugged Appliance Program Begins October 1st

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Written by Beverly Saunders Beverly Saunders
Category: News News
Published: 28 September 2011 28 September 2011
Unplugged, the first small appliance recycling program of its kind in Canada and the only government-approved small appliance recycling program in B.C., begins on October 1st.  The program accepts more than 120 small appliances. Gibsons Recycle Depot on Venture Way in Gibsons is the drop-off location for the Sunshine Coast.
Unplugged is a non-profit program funded by a recycling fee applied to new small appliances brought into B.C. by manufacturers and retailers. The recycling fee covers all program costs, including collection, transportation and recycling. Retailers will decide whether the fee is included in a product’s price or displayed as a separate charge at check-out.

"Gibsons Recycle supports the first R's which are reduce and reuse," said Barb Hetherington. "We will give donors an opportunity to put their item in our Zero Waste Store for reuse. Once items are accepted in the Unplugged program it is 'end of life' for them. Many items are still usable and we hope to be able to help with that."

The accepted appliances are divided into categories including: kitchen countertop, time measurement, weight measurement, garment care, air treatment, floor care and personal care. The program recycles small appliances designed for residential use only and powered by 12 Volt or 120 Volt power or batteries.

The program is operated on a long-term cost-recovery basis and all fees collected stay within the program. The fees range from .25 to $10 depending on the size of the appliance. You can find a full list of recycling fees by product category at http://www.unpluggedrecycling.ca/.

The majority of materials used to make small appliances, including plastic, glass, metal and aluminum, will be recycled through Unplugged and this will help reduce the amount of waste and ensure that potentially hazardous materials are kept of our environment. According to the Unplugged website,  more than 2,000,000 small appliances end up in B.C. landfills every year.