$ 56 Million of écofrais paid too much sleep in the bank

News 13 March, 2018
  • Photo: Martin Alare
    These scrap materials such as old computers and televisions, were found in a container of Laval a few years ago. In tenon, the ecocentre Saint-Laurent, in Montreal, which allows us to dispose of old electronic devices.

    Pierre Couture

    Tuesday, 13 march 2018 21:05

    UPDATE
    Tuesday, 13 march 2018 21:05

    Look at this article

    The écofrais overpaid by quebec consumers about the electronic products since 2012 accumulate. The prize pool amounted to more than $ 56 million, noted The Journal.

    The data compiled by the Association for the recycling of electronic products (ARPE) indicate that the reserve québec amounted to $ 56.6 million at the end of 2016. The data of 2017 are not always available.

    Since 1 October 2012, écofrais are charged to québec consumers in the purchase of electronic products to retailers. The money raised lands in the coffers of ARPE-Québec, a private non-profit.

    These charges, known as environmental management, are used to support a program of points of collection, transportation and recycling of electronic products in Québec.

    These fees are not very well known to the public as retailers are not required to post. Some do, others do not.

    The écofrais vary depending on the size and type of devices to be recycled. For example, for a tv of 46 inches, the consumers need to pay 24 $.

    Photo: Martin Alare

    Down

    The director-general of the ARPE-Québec, Dominique Lévesque, was not available Monday for comment on the case.

    “The program has reached its cruising speed in Quebec. Our goal is to bring it back possibly in the balance “, however, indicated a spokesperson of the ARPE.

    In 2016, ARPE-Québec is said to have collected $ 15.4 million of écofrais in the pockets of consumers, is $ 7 million less than in 2015.

    Since 2012, the écofrais have been revised downward twice, in 2014 and 2015, because of the large reserves accumulated.

    ARPE-Québec plans to achieve annual deficits, as in 2016 (-7$ M), over the next few years to reduce overpayments.

    In Quebec, the program of retraining is good year, bad year, a little more than $ 22 million to administer.

    According to Recyc Quebec, the rate of recovery totals have reached, in 2015, the Québec 51 % for desktop computers, 62% for computer monitors/tv and 40 % for printers/scanners.

    At the national level, the ARPE 31 December 2016 a reserve accrual of $112 million.