October 19th, 2026

Bluevale Collegiate Institute is partnering with GreenTec to keep toxic electronics out of local landfills! Bring in your old, broken, or unused electronics to BCI, where they will be taken to be safely refurbished or recycled.

Why It Matters: 

  • The numbers in Ontario: There are over 40,000 Tonnes Annually:  Ontario electronics producers generate and collect over 40,000 tonnes of electronic waste every single year.
  • 25.3 kg Per Person: Canadian e-waste generation has more than tripled over the past two decades, rising from 8.3 kg per person in 2000 to over 25 kg per person today.
  • Electronics in Drawers: Over 30% of cellphones and unwanted electronics in Canadian households end up sitting in drawers or bins unused rather than being recycled or refurbished.
  • Toxic Chemicals: Electronics contain lead, mercury, and cadmium. When thrown in regular trash, these heavy metals leach into local soil and groundwater.

Drop-off Location: Bins in the BCI Cafeteria near the windows, 8:00-2:30 daily.

Data Privacy Tip: Please ensure all personal personal data and personal accounts are wiped or factory reset from your personal devices before drop-off. GreenTech will process all collected equipment following certified data destruction protocols.

“I Don’t Believe It Can Make a Difference*:

Reach beyond the fear of, “I’m only one person/family, how big of an impact could my/our actions possibly have?”. The answer is, a BIG one:

  • For every 10 000 tons of waste brought to a recycling facility, 36 jobs are created (vs. 6 jobs created when waste is taken to a traditional waste facility)
  • It costs $30, on average to recycle vs. $50-$75 to send waste to landfills or incinerators.
  • Recycling 1lb. of steel saves enough energy to light a 60 watt light bulb for more than 24 hours.
  • Almost 40% of the world’s demand for copper is met using recycled material.
  • The gold extracted from one metric ton of electronic waste is equal to the amount extracted from 17 metric tons of gold ore.
  • Building a new computer from recycled materials consumes only 10% of the energy required to build the same computer from raw materials.