Frequently Asked Questions

Regulated electronic items can be recycled free of charge at any Return-It^TM collection site. The associated Environmental Handling Fees (EHF) are charged at the time of purchase.

ESABC is a not-for-profit extended producer responsibility program set up by the major producers and retailers of electronics in British Columbia to provide a province wide recycling system for unwanted electronics available to all consumers and businesses in BC. The ESABC program is designed to shift the responsibility for the environmentally safe and socially responsible recycling of unwanted products from BC taxpayers (through municipalities and regional districts) to the producers and consumers of these products.

ESABC’s electronics program provides an environmentally sound recycling option for unwanted electronics providing assurance that these items will not be landfilled or illegally exported. You can drop off any of the acceptable products at designated Return-It^TM Electronics Collection Sites without charge, and be assured they will be recycled responsibly.

ESABC has contracted with Encorp Pacific to deliver the stewardship program under their Return-It^TM brand. Encorp Pacific’s mandate on behalf of ESABC is to manage a consumer friendly and cost effective system to recover regulated electronics products from consumers and ensure that they are recycled in a safe and environmentally sound manner and not landfilled or shipped to developing nations.

As of July 1, 2010, the ESABC stewardship program has expanded to include more regulated products. Among the newly accepted products are computer scanners, non-cellular telephones, and a variety of home and portable audio/visual products such as VHS players, stereo systems. For the full list please visit return-it.ca/electronics/acceptable.

Yes, if you sell, distribute, manufacture or import any of the regulated products in or into British Columbia (including online sales), you must be part of an approved program. Other electrical products such as power tools, appliances lights and fixtures are not part of the Return-It^TM Electronics program.

Yes, leading electronics manufacturers and retailers have formed ESABC, Electronic Stewardship Association of BC. They have contracted with Encorp Return-It Electronics and are issued an approval to operate by The British Columbia Ministry of Environment and has an operational program since August 1, 2007.

Yes, you are responsible for registering with Encorp, and indicating if you want to be charged the EHF by suppliers on your purchases of obligated products, or if you would like to be exempt from the EHF on your purchases in which case you would be responsible for reporting and remitting the EHF to ESABC.

For more information call us at 1-800-330-9767. The registration process will require you to complete a membership agreement and provide required information. Once you are registered we will notify the government that you are part of the Return-It Electronics program.

According to the regulation, unless you are part of an approved program, you will not be permitted to sell obligated products in the province. The list of Return-It Electronics members will be posted on the website and the BC Ministry of Environment will be notified of any non-compliant companies so that enforcement action can be taken.

The program utilizes a province wide system of collection locations where consumers can drop off regulated, end-of-life computer equipment and televisions without charge. The collected equipment will then be shipped to a certified recycler to be recycled in an environmentally sound manner. The program also includes a consumer education component (including point of purchase material).

There are more than 100 convenient locations in BC. Visit www.return-it.ca/electronics/locations to find a Return-It™ collection site nearest you.

Following collection, consolidated electronics are moved to approved processing and recycling contractors. All recyclers are under contract with ESABC and required to meet Electronics Product Stewardship Canada (EPSC) Recycling Vendor Qualification Standards to ensure materials are processed in an environmentally sound manner with appropriate health, safety and export provisions. Find the qualification standards at epsc.ca/recycle

For your own personal security you need to take adequate steps to ensure that no private data remains on your electronic products prior to donation or return to a Collection Site. Once an electronic item has been delivered to a Return-It™ collection site it will not be reused, all items collected will be recycled. When you recycle your unwanted electronics every effort will be made to ensure the privacy and security of any personal information; however, the Return-It System, Encorp or ESABC does not accept liability for any data that remains on your electronic products.

Pick up services for large volumes of unwanted electronics is provided at no cost provided certain requirements have been met. Requirements can be found at www.return-it.ca/largevolume

Monitors and televisions with smashed screens are considered hazardous materials under provincial regulations and can only be accepted at specific locations as they require special handling procedures. Find these locations at www.return-it.ca/specialhandling

These refer to used electronic items that are obsolete and un-useable electronic items that consumers have chosen to deliver to a Return-It^TM Electronics collection site for recycling in this program.

Absolutely. While our program is designed to manage unwanted electronic products that have exhausted their reuse potential, we strongly encourage users to first reuse their products . We recommend reusing within your own family first. If you choose to donate to a charity, be sure to research how the charity uses the equipment and how they will dispose of it when it is no longer useful. Make sure you have backed up your data and wiped your drives clean prior to donation or passing on your old electronics.

All sales to consumers in BC are subject to the regulation including on-line purchases.

Monitors integrated into floor standing printers are excluded; however, the EHF does apply to ancillary monitors, i.e. those that are a separate piece of equipment and fall within the definition of a monitor.

Display devices include all flat panel and tube technologies (CRT, Plasma, LCD, etc) used for televisions, computer monitors and professional displays.

Electronics producers have undertaken various initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of their products, several key areas of improvement include: chemical management; energy efficiency; materials management; design for recycling; and product expandability. For more information, visit www.epsc.ca. From here you can find links to each member’s company and environmen­tal information.