Return-It Blog

Help Your Neighbours — Donate Your Old Electronics

Since 2007, Return-It Electronics has provided British Columbians with safe and environmentally responsible ways to reuse or recycle old, obsolete, broken and unwanted electronic devices under contract with the Electronics Products Recycling Association (EPRA). EPRA is a not-for-profit extended producer responsibility association. It was set up by the major producers and retailers of electronics to provide industry-led and regulated recycling programs for unwanted electronics.

Today, we recycle more than 3 million electronic devices every year in BC. In response to COVID-19, many Return-It Electronics collection sites have put safety precautions in place so they can remain open to accept your end-of-life electronics.

While many British Columbians are using this extra time at home to sort through old, broken, and unwanted products that need recycling, Return-It is also aware that there are many people and families in BC communities in need of electronic devices to stay connected during this challenging time.

If you have old computers that still work, but don’t meet your current needs, you can donate them to the BC Technology for Learning Society (BC Tech) to help local families.

BC Tech is a registered charity that collects donated computers (and all types of other tech devices), trains and hires youth to refurbish the computers, and then distributes the computers to schools, non-profits, libraries, First Nations groups, and students.

Since 1994, BC Tech has delivered the Computers for Schools Plus program across British Columbia, distributing over 170,000 computers!

To learn what equipment is needed, if your old electronics apply, and how to prepare them for donation, please visit https://www.reusetechbc.ca/donate.html

“Donations are crucial right now because of the influx of requests from low income families, school districts, and non-profits in response to COVID-19. As schools are turning to online learning, some students from low income families may not have the technology at home and are worried about being left behind. BC Tech works with school districts and non-profit organizations to support these families with our refurbished tech. Your donations matter now more than ever.” –Mary-Em Waddington, Executive Director at BC Tech

“The goal of the Electronic Products Recycling Association is to keep electronics out of landfills. The EPRA fully supports the work being done by BC Tech to make BC a place where everyone has equal access to technology, opportunities, and tools to help facilitate learning.” - Craig Wisehart, Executive Director at EPRA BC

Questions about this blog post? Please contact us at customerservice@returnit.ca or 1-855-350-2345 for more information.