Electric bikes and scooters are now covered in British Columbia’s EPR program. | ABB Photo/Shutterstock

The Canadian province of British Columbia has long been a leader in enacting industry-led extended producer responsibility programs for its residents. Since 2007, Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA) BC has been a pioneer in delivering cost effective, efficient recycling programs for a vast array of electronic devices on behalf of manufactures, retailers and other obligated “stewards” that are regulated in the Pacific-coast province.

In keeping with these regulations, we were prompted by our stewards to add the growing market segment for e-bikes and e-scooters to our already long list of covered devices, including e-toys, electronic medical devices and musical instruments along with the traditional electronics such as televisions, computers, printers, etc. Click here for a complete list.

The North America e-bike market, fueled by demand from Canada and the United States, is set to grow at an annual rate of 11% right up to 2028. Escalating demand from customers, rising fuel costs and a growing inclination toward recreational activities is augmenting the industry growth in Canada.

The integration of e-bikes/e-scooters in our BC program makes sense on a number of fronts:

With the addition of e-bikes, we believe that EPRA BC continues its position as a pioneering program for industry-led stewardship of regulated electronics in Canada.

Craig Wisehart is executive director of the Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA) Western Canada. EPRA is an industry-led, not-for-profit organization that operates regulated recycling programs across Canada. We ensure that end-of-life electronics are handled in a safe, secure and environmentally sound manner. To learn more about EPRA BC, visit recycleMYelectronics.ca/BC.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author and do not imply endorsement by Resource Recycling, Inc. If you have a subject you wish to cover in an op-ed, please send a short proposal to [email protected] for consideration.

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