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Free Geek Holiday Closure April 2 and April 6
Free Geek family and friends will be taking an Easter break on April 2 and April 6. A warm geeky thank you and happy holiday to all of our volunteers! Note that we are still open as usual on Saturday, April 3rd.
VANCOUVER COMPUTER RECYCLER SAYS: ILLEGAL CANADIAN E-WASTE DUMPING "NO SURPRISE"
FREE GEEK VANCOUVER CALLS ILLEGAL CANADIAN E-WASTE DUMPING "NO SURPRISE"
Exporting continues while Canada turns a "blind eye"
Exporting continues while Canada turns a "blind eye"
A recent CBC news exposé has identified two Metro Vancouver-based recyclers as toxic electronic waste exporters. Futher, it goes on to underscore a lack of enforcement by Canadian authorities.
The report was partly based on evidence submitted by the Society Promoting Environmental Conservation (SPEC) and the Basel Action Network (BAN), a global watchdog group working to stop the dumping of toxic wastes in developing countries.
BAN contends that the Canadian government is not upholding its international obligations to control transnational exports of this waste. Up to 80% of Canadian "e-waste" is shipped overseas, often being dumped or burned, and contaminating communities hosting crude 'dirty scrapping' operations.
According to BAN's research, spanning back to 2001, unscrupulous Canadian recyclers continue to export hazardous e-waste to poor, often rural destinations in China, Nigeria, Ghana and other non-OECD countries. And there is precious little pressure on them to stop.
"Canada claims to be a good global citizen, but when it comes to efforts to stem the tide of toxic waste, they are one of the worst players on the global stage," said BAN coordinator Jim Puckett. According to BAN, Canada has historically tried to undermine the Basel Convention's attempt to ban the toxic waste exports from rich to poor countries. "Now we find they are turning a blind eye to illegal shipments of hazardous e-waste - even to countries that have specifically banned their importation," Puckett said in a recent press release.
Canada is a signatory to the Basel Convention, created in 1994 at the request of governments in the developing world. Poorer nations lack the resources to provide adequate environmental or worker protections, and have difficulty curtailing abuses by determined smugglers and toxic waste brokers. Entire communities have become trapped in crude and dirty scrapping operations, often leaving citizens with few options, as contaminated farmland and waterways fail to support more traditional employment.
Canada has long been a major illegal exporter of hazardous wastes, with smugglers and brokers outpacing enforcement officials. In 2006, during Canada's only enforcement effort to date, federal agencies seized 50 containers with 500,000 kg of ewaste at the Port of Vancouver; 27 Canadian companies settled out of court for about $2000 apiece; Ottawa still refuses to release their names. [read story]
In the words of CBC's Patrick Brown, "If dumping ewaste were an Olympic sport, Canada would win a silver medal. The United States gets the gold." While Canada has traditionally been disinterested, the United States goes one better by refusing to ratify the Basel Convention.
"It's high time Canada stop aiding its electronics industry at the expense of developing countries or at the expense of local communities," said Helen Spiegelman, SPEC Vice-President. "If companies in Europe can agree to this, then why can't Canada?"
BAN contends that the Canadian government is not upholding its international obligations to control transnational exports of this waste. Up to 80% of Canadian "e-waste" is shipped overseas, often being dumped or burned, and contaminating communities hosting crude 'dirty scrapping' operations. According to BAN's research, spanning back to 2001, unscrupulous Canadian recyclers continue to export hazardous e-waste to poor, often rural destinations in China, Nigeria, Ghana and other non-OECD countries. And there is precious little pressure on them to stop.
"Canada claims to be a good global citizen, but when it comes to efforts to stem the tide of toxic waste, they are one of the worst players on the global stage," said BAN coordinator Jim Puckett. According to BAN, Canada has historically tried to undermine the Basel Convention's attempt to ban the toxic waste exports from rich to poor countries. "Now we find they are turning a blind eye to illegal shipments of hazardous e-waste - even to countries that have specifically banned their importation," Puckett said in a recent press release.
Canada is a signatory to the Basel Convention, created in 1994 at the request of governments in the developing world. Poorer nations lack the resources to provide adequate environmental or worker protections, and have difficulty curtailing abuses by determined smugglers and toxic waste brokers. Entire communities have become trapped in crude and dirty scrapping operations, often leaving citizens with few options, as contaminated farmland and waterways fail to support more traditional employment.
Canada has long been a major illegal exporter of hazardous wastes, with smugglers and brokers outpacing enforcement officials. In 2006, during Canada's only enforcement effort to date, federal agencies seized 50 containers with 500,000 kg of ewaste at the Port of Vancouver; 27 Canadian companies settled out of court for about $2000 apiece; Ottawa still refuses to release their names. [read story]
In the words of CBC's Patrick Brown, "If dumping ewaste were an Olympic sport, Canada would win a silver medal. The United States gets the gold." While Canada has traditionally been disinterested, the United States goes one better by refusing to ratify the Basel Convention.
"It's high time Canada stop aiding its electronics industry at the expense of developing countries or at the expense of local communities," said Helen Spiegelman, SPEC Vice-President. "If companies in Europe can agree to this, then why can't Canada?"
Open burning of plastics and other material is common in order to reduce the waste to metals. Guiyu, China. ©Basel Action Network 2006
'TOO CLOSE TO HOME'
Both recyclers mentioned in the CBC documentary are based in Metro Vancouver, and are members of the Recycling Council of British Columbia. They are also considerably well-established.
Technotrash, one of the recyclers, is an approved member of the Western Canada Computer Industry Association (WCCIA). Ironically, the WCCIA was granted permission in 2007 by the provincial government to develop a Environmental Stewardship plan. As a "primary recycler," Technotrash was reportedly audited by the WCCIA, and provides collection to the Vancouver Island Region, Nanaimo, the Okanagan, Kelowna and the Lower Mainland Region under the stewardship plan.
However, the CBC exposé came as no surprise to computer recycler Free Geek Vancouver.
"We never sent computer scrap to those recyclers [in the report], and we never would, because they wouldn't reveal where they send their materials," said Ifny Lachance, one of the founders of Free Geek Vancouver. "We assume the worst when recyclers are secretive, or haven't been vouched for by environmental organisations. Seeing a report like this is grimly satisfying in that regard."
Free Geek Vancouver's ethical recycling policies prevent it from doing business with recyclers who are not fully transparent, or who do not act in full accordance with the Basel Convention. The non-profit maintains a full list of its downstream recyclers on its website, including contact information. It also keeps its mailing lists and archives open to the public, and offers regular tours of its facility. Its educational mandate involves engaging volunteers in the recycling and refurbishing process; at the same time, it shares its research and information resources, so that others can make informed decisions about what to with their unwanted computers.
Lachance points out that due to the lack of enforcement, it is difficult to know who to trust. "ISO certification or membership in business associations doesn't guarantee responsible recycling practices. Pretty websites don't mean much either," she said. "Asking questions is definitely good. Demanding full transparency is even better. But even if they tell you where they send their scrap, you still can't be sure. Maybe they're lying, or haven't even bothered to find out where the end of the line really is. Bad behaviour is rewarded by huge profits, so there's little incentive for them to care."
Lachance says that people should even be skeptical of nonprofit operations, and recommends confirming that companies are endorsed by reputable enviromental organisations before giving up their unwanted hardware. In order to collect equipment and export more easily, smugglers sometimes claim that equipment will be donated to the poor. "It's frustrating, because they're not helping the poor, they're helping themselves, regardless of the environmental and human costs. Recyclers should be considered guilty until proven innocent."
Even when companies are caught, it is common practice to change names and open a new operation with none the wiser. Two days after the CBC expose aired, the website for the other investigated recycler, Electronics Recycling Canada, was no longer available.
Laborer heating aqua regia -- a mixture of 5% pure nitric acid and 75% pure hydrochloric acid -- a mixture that will dissolve gold. Without any respiratory protection workers inhale acid fumes, chlorine and sulphur dioxide gas all day as they swirl computer chips removed from circuit boards in acid to collect tiny amounts of gold. The sludges from the process are dumped directly into the river. Guiyu, China. December 2001. © Basel Action Network 2006
'EVERYONE'S PROBLEM'
While consumers have become increasingly aware that landfilling electronics is not environmentally responsible, there is still a sore lack of information available to help them avoid operations that export illegally. As early as 2001, BAN began retrieving identification tags from equipment belonging to the Department of National Defence, a Vancouver office of Air Canada, and others from scrappers in China.
The devastating effects on public health are not limited to far-away destinations, as toxic by-products spread through the biosphere and return to Canada. Increasingly, studies are revealing that many materials in computer equipment, including lead, mercury and cadmium, accumulate in the biosphere and travel the globe. Human beings, at the top of the food chain, receive the worst of it.
For example, a 2004 study by the Sightline Institute revealed that women off the coast of Puget Sound have the highest level of toxic flame retardants in their breastmilk ever recorded. The levels were over 20 to 40 times higher than those found in European and Japanese women. These flame retardants, close relatives to PCBs, are impregnated in computer plastic and other household items. Health impacts include anemia, cancer, thyroid disruption and memory loss. New research by Monica Danon-Schaffer in northern Canadian landfills has found disturbing levels of these same chemicals.
'THE SILVER LINING'
Lachance says it is not all bad news. "Ten years ago, there were no good options, but now you can find solutions in more areas," she remarked. "We had to start one ourselves in Vancouver, but we're starting to feel less lonely," she said, referring to emerging alliances between businesses, environmental organisations, and the public.
In sharp contrast to other recyclers, Free Geek is community-run; it encourages citizens to get involved in its day-to-day operations and decisions. In addition to its ethical policies, it further distinguished itself this spring by becoming the second recycler in Canada to qualify as an "e-Steward," an initiative designed by the Basel Action Network. E-Stewards uphold what is considered the most rigourous international standard for social and environmental responsibility in the world, called the Electronic Recycler's Pledge of True Stewardship. Part of the e-Steward qualification process involved BAN verifying that Free Geek Vancouver actually sends their materials to downstream recyclers as claimed.
Free Geek Vancouver was founded in November 2006 as a community technology centre. Its volunteers pitch in to help test, refurbish or dismantle unwanted computer equipment donated by the public. Free computers are distributed to volunteers and other non-profits; Free Geek supports its activities through computer thrift store and recycling revenue.
Emphasizing the need for participation, she said, "Find out where your company recycles, and your neighbours. Ask questions, support the good guys. The media is catching on, and that will make government feel the heat. If we all work together to keep up the pressure, the bad guys will run out of places to hide. We'll all be healthier for it in the end."
Ifny Lachance is a coordinator at Free Geek Vancouver. For more information on ewaste issues, or to arrange an interview, please visit the media contact page.
Free Geek Vancouver Qualifies as First Canadian Non-profit e-Steward!
Free Geek qualifies as first Canadian non-profit to be recognized in ethical recycling program
~ No toxic e-Waste dumping in Canada or abroad ~
Finally, it will be easier for computer owners to find a responsible recycler who will not dump computer equipment in landfills, or ship it off to Asia to be dumped over there.
Frustrated with the lack of accountability in the computer recycling industry, Free Geek Vancouver, a community-run non-profit, has managed to qualify as an e-Steward by upholding the most rigourous international standard for social and environmental responsibility around -- the Electronic Recycler's Pledge of True Stewardship, designed by a global e-waste watchdog, the Basel Action Network (BAN). The founder of BAN and Free Geek representatives held a press conference today at their Vancouver facility.
Above: Jim Puckett (seated left) and Ifny Lachance address the press. Photo by David Repa.
"Most people are not aware that 50-80% of so called recyclers will export your old computer to countries like China where it will be managed in horrific nightmarish conditions, that are highly polluting and damaging to human health," said BAN's Jim Puckett. "The Canadian and US governments fail to properly control this toxic trade, and for that reason we created the e-Stewards initiative. It's not for the faint of heart. It's designed to be the most rigourous environmental and social justice criteria for electronics recycling in the world."
"It's hard for the public to know who to trust with their old computers-- this should help!" says Ifny Lachance, a coordinator at Free Geek Vancouver.
"This qualification means a lot to us because it can't be bought -- you have to earn it, you have to prove that you're not lying. Because it's so easy to abuse the system, we think all computer recyclers should be assumed guilty until they prove themselves innocent. That doesn't always make us popular with the competition," she continued.
Free Geek Vancouver is a nonprofit computer recycling and reuse centre, where the community can pitch in to help test, refurbish or dismantle unwanted computer equipment donated by the public. No experience is required, and volunteers receive free computers and workshops. FreeGeek supports its activities through a computer thrift store and recycling revenue.
Above: Volunteers dismantling computers destined for recycling at Free Geek. Photo by Ifny Lachance.
"Lots of folks are in desperate need of access to technology. So here is a perfect way to reduce waste; with a little know-how, our volunteers give unwanted computers a new life, and make them available to people and non-profits for free or very cheap," said David Repa, another coordinator at Free Geek. "This also reduces pollution from manufacturing of new computers, and gets everyone involved in being part of the solution, not the problem."
Electronic waste continues to be the most heavily traded toxic waste onthe planet. UN figures say 50 million tonnes of e-waste are generatedyearly. Canadians alone throw out 140,000 tons of equipment every year,the equivalent of about 5.6 million computers. Most of this materialthat is collected for "recycling" and "re-use" actually ends up dumped or burned in poor countries with few environmental or worker protections.
Left: This should not be called "re-use!" Electronic waste dumped in residential area just outside of Alaba market in Lagos, Nigeria. This e-waste is routinely burned here. Photo used with permission, © Basel Action Network. [More BAN photos here.]
Canada is a major illegal exporter of hazardous wastes, with smugglers and brokers outpacing enforcement officials. In 2006, during Canada's only enforcement effort to date, federal agencies seized 50 containers with 500,000 kg of ewaste at the Port of Vancouver; 27 Canadian companies settled out of court for about $2000 apiece; Ottawa still refuses to release their names. [read story]
Rather than loading your old computer onto a container ship for questionable destinations, Free Geek Vancouver contends that reuse is the highest form of recycling. The leftover material that must be scrapped stays almost entirely within Canada for processing, at facilities that verifiably do not export. A small amount of material is sent to other recyclers who can prove they abide by the Basel Convention. Free Geek itself takes the time to research recyclers before sending them anything, and expects them to be transparent as well.
A list of their recyclers is listed online for the public to see. Free Geek has always been open about their recyclers as a matter of course; additionally, their mailing list archive and meetings are open to the public. Part of the e-Steward qualification process involved BAN verifying that Free Geek Vancouver actually sends their materials to these recyclers as claimed.
"When we started, it was really hard to find recyclers who wanted to cooperate and put up with us; they're rare and it takes a lot of energy to find them and make sure they're for real. The work that BAN does with the e-Stewards program makes it easier for others to find the good guys," says Ifny.
"What have we learned? That secrecy and claims about 'trade secrets,' or even simple vagueness should set off warning bells -- not to mention that some recyclers just lie outright. You have to ask questions, dig deeper. Even re-use organisations can lie, saying they give the stuff to poor people or whatever, but everyone has to understand that no one is checking on them to see if it's true, or where they send their scrap. It should be mandatory for companies to provide names and bills of lading to a reputable third party, and to have real penalties for bad practices. It's harder for abuses to go on if we all try to watch out for each other, and share our resources."
Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron Release Party
Free Geek was proud to hold the Vancouver Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron release party. It is no secret now that computer recycling and free and open source hardware go hand in hand. Linux is one reason we can keep older hardware alive and working well. Hardy Heron is a great edition to the every growing story of Ubuntu. We see a steady stream of people fed up with Vista and wanting more control over their hardware.
Above - The Ubuntu community grows! Having fun at Free Geek, learning and laughing.
Gastown Holiday Hardware Drive A Success
A local company in Gastown was kind enough to put on a hardware drive for us recently. Strutta, a new startup on the block, offered to pick up unwanted computer equipment from its neighbours and donate it to Free Geek. Almost 2,000lbs of hardware later, they got a taste of the labour involved in computer recycling, while helping make the community a healthier place for the holidays.
We would like to thank all the participating companies who donated equipment to us. We hope to see more of your equipment in the future.
Special thanks goes out to Jordan Behan who organised the event! More of his photos HERE
Celebrating 1 year of Computer Re-Use and Recycling in Vancouver!
Today marks our first year in operation. It was a cold November 1st in 2006 when the first meeting was called and ten or so concerned citizens showed up to see what we could create together. Computer re-use and recycling found a new twist that night. Free Geek Vancouver was born!
From piling up computers in my bachelor apartment, to renting a storage facility and finally having a community technology centre, we have a lot to be proud of. And it is just the beginning.
Since moving into our new space in June, we have seen in nearly 15 tonnes of equipment come through our doors. We have distributed many computer systems to the community. Some recent recipients include the Salvation Army, Co-op Radio, SFU Public Interest Research Group, BC Digital Divide, the Portland Housing Society, and Canadians for Workplace Inclusion, just to name a few. The hardware grant applications keep coming in, and we are more than happy to provide!
Not ony have organisations benefited from our work, but we have seen numerous systems leave with volunteers that have taken part in our Computer Adoption Program.
Miro (left) taking home his computer after finishing 24 of volunteer time. Volunteers Ryan, David and Mark look on. Photo by Ifny.
We would like to thank all the business and individuals who have donated equipment to us. We hope to see you again; without you, we wouldn't have made it this far. Also a big thanks to all the volunteers who have made our communty centre a place to call home!
Free Geek wins Urban Sustainability Grant!
Free Geek was recently awarded a grant of $4000 by Mountain Equipment Co-op.
These Urban Sustainability Grants are designed to "support local environmental groups in each MEC store community." Geeks are green too!
We look forward to using this money to help defray our costs, so that we can keep getting free computers into the hands of Vancouverites.
Please don't leave your computer hardware in the alley!
Often, well intentioned folks leave out older monitors and computer hardware in the alley, in the hopes that someone will pick it up and find a new home for it.
Unfortunately a lot of these items are smashed and stripped for copper and other metals. While walking to a friend's house recently, I noticed a pile of smashed computers monitors and four TVs. All had been smashed for their copper yokes. [see picture]
Not only is this a waste, but it releases toxins into the environment. It can also hurt people who are probably not aware of the toxins inside CRT monitors and other equipment. Old computers may attract curious children.
Please don't leave your old hardware outside. Recycle your computer equipment responsibly by bringing it to a reputable re-use/recycling centre. We would love to find a new owner for your old hardware!
Jim Puckett of the Basel Action Network visits Free Geek
Jim Puckett, founder of the Basel Action Network (BAN) came by Free Geek while visiting Vancouver today. BAN and Free Geek share a close friendship. Together they work on various computer recycling issues that effect all of us.
Jim Puckett(left) speaks with a Free Geek volunteer about free and open source software. BAN is becoming increasingly interested in the benefits of Linux and similar systems.
Sarah Westervelt speaks at Vancouver at Free Geek Movie Night
E-waste guru Sarah Westervelt from the international watchdog Basel Action Network (BAN), was the guest speaker at our presentation of BAN's documentary films. Computer recycling has never been the same since BAN started their important work, and Sarah was happy to tell everyone why. More information on BAN films
The Creaking Planks played ethically recycled and reconstituted melodies. Favourites included the Tetris Suite for Lovers.
They also played Pomp & Circumstance for Free Geek's first graduate of the adoption program, Miro. He has earned his computer, and will be running the Czech version of Ubuntu (Linux).
A spirited discussion followed, with thoughtful comments, hard questions, and camraderie.
The event was sponsored by the Recycling Council of British Columbia (RCBC) and Free Geek.
