Moving Electronic Items in Vancouver?

Do you have a growing box (or room) full of old computers, mp3 players, radios, TVs, phones, and so on? Yes, it’s a first world problem, but it is still a problem! We in Metro Vancouver love our tech, but it can build up, and who wants to keep junk around? When’s a better time to get rid of all your electronic junk than when you are preparing for a big move within the Vancouver area?

So, moving electronic items, how should we do this? The first instinct is to leave these items curbside for the garbage man to make them disappear. Movers in Vancouver can confirm this. They see it all the time as they are helping Vancouverites move. However, this should never be the way to get rid of old electronic items. Here are a few reasons why:

Electronic waste (e-waste) is harmful to us and to the environment:

Most electronic items contain a lot of toxic chemicals and heavy metals, such as mercury, lead, and cadmium. When the electronic items are thrown into the landfills or incinerators, these toxic materials are being exposed to the air, the soil and the groundwater, which can affect our measurable amounts of cadmium, mercury, and other toxic metals.

One man’s garbage is another’s treasure:

There are many salvageable items in your unwanted electronic items that can be reused. Since the landfill should be filled with ‘real’ garbage, throwing away valuable resources like earth metals in your electronics would be a waste in the truest sense. Many retail companies will take your old electronics, recycle them, and even pay you some money for them. For example, Costco will offer you your $10 recycling deposit back if you return your old car battery after buying it from them. Future Shop will often have bins at the front of their stores for collecting electronics meant for recycling properly.

Help out your local community!

Go to your local schools, libraries, and community centers. What you think is obsolete may actually be quite needed in your community. Many of these public organizations have old equipment that they cannot afford to replace. Even if your electronic items are not in ready-to-use conditions, they may be willing to keep old parts around in case they need to replace parts of their electronic systems.

Where to recycle old electronics in BC

By now you may be thinking, ‘Ok, I don’t want to harm the environment. But moving is already stressful as it is, so just tell me what to do and where to recycle these old electronics I have in my storage room collecting dust.”

There is a great resource that British Columbians can utilize on the Recycling Council of BC website. It’s called RCBC Recyclepedia. Just enter in what you have, where you are, and it will give you a list of locations that will be able to recycle a type of material.

Better yet, download their free Recyclededia App (available for both iPhones and Androids). The App can help you find over 1000 drop-off locations to recycle your item within BC. Just select a category (appliances, electronics, etc), a specific item you have within the category (refrigerator, printers, etc.) and the app will pull up a list of the 10 nearest locations where you can recycle that item.

If you need help with moving electronic items to better homes during your relocation, contact our Vancouver movers at Ferguson Moving and Storage and we’d be glad to help.

 How to Contact Ferguson Moving & Storage

If you are thinking of moving anywhere in the greater Vancouver Area, contact Ferguson Moving & Storage at 604-922-2212. Here at Ferguson, we are professional movers ready to help you make your move the best experience possible.