More than 500 people have donated over 16 tons of obsolete equipment in order to avoid landfills and protect the environment!

Montreal, October 25, 2010 – Yesterday, Québec’s four 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchises held a Green Waste Collection (Collecte verte) in various locations across the province with the objective of collecting used and obsolete electrical, electronic and computer equipment. This environmental initiative saw over 500 people visiting various collection points to donate over 16 tons of obsolete equipment, which would have otherwise ended up in landfills! Thanks to this astounding success and incredible turnout of participants, the 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchises are even more convinced of the necessity of this eco-friendly activity, and thus plan on holding this event again next April! www.collecteverte.ca

Collecte verte, a new Québec event
The Collecte verte is an environmental initiative by the 1-800-GOT-JUNK Quebec franchises, who wanted to do their part for the environment. With this success, they decided to stage an e-waste event twice a year, in April and October. “The objective of Collecte verte is to recycle components of old equipment, avoiding the contaminative chemical substances that are sometimes found in electronics and would have a negative impact on our environment,” explains Martin Rivard, Founder of Collecte verte and owner of 1-800-GOT-JUNK? in Quebec City.

1-800-GOT-JUNK? and the Environment
1-800-GOT-JUNK? has established itself as a key player in the province in efforts to reduce harm to the environmental, The World’s Largest Junk Removal Service, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? picks up a variety of items, from major appliances to garden debris to furniture and more. All recovered items are stored, broken down or recycled in the hopes of finding a new owner or donated to charity. Combining utility with social outreach is one of the company’s core values.

About 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
1-800-GOT-JUNK? is pioneering an industry that is helping residents and businesses remove junk and regain space. Whether it’s a pile of household junk in the garage or a warehouse full of office furnishings, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? removes it for you, making the ordinary business of junk removal exceptional. Founded in 1989, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? operates in approximately 175 locations throughout Canada, the U.S., and Australia. There are four franchise partners in Quebec, servicing the following regions: the island of Montréal and surrounding area; West Island with an office in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, the South Shore with an office in Longueil and Quebec City. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? is a leader in environmental protection and continuously strives to improve upon its ecological performance thanks to its numerous environmental initiatives.

Download the official statement

Montreal, October 23, 2012 – Held on October 21, the Collecte verte, organized by 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, took place in parking lots at a number of Quebec Réno-Dépôt locations, as well as at Ameublements Tanguay in Quebec City. This was an opportunity for the public to dispose of a variety of electrical and electronic devices, appliances, and BBQs, which were then collected and recycled by 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. The 6th annual Collecte verte attracted 650 people and collected over 32 tonnes of e-waste.

The Collecte verte makes a difference!
Held on the final day of Quebec Waste Reduction Week, this event raises public awareness about e-waste recycling, an important initiative considering that electronic equipment represents 20 to 50 million tonnes of waste globally each year. To date the Collecte verte has resulted in 158 tonnes of e-waste properly disposed of. Last October 21, anyone dropping off items during the event received a $25 discount valid on their next 1-800-GOT-JUNK? service request, as well as rebates at participating Montreal area Réno-Dépôt locations. A great opportunity for the visitors to do a little shopping at the same time!

The Quebec government launches a new program
On July 14, the Quebec government launched a provincial program for the recovery and responsible recycling of electronic products. Its goal is to reduce the exorbitant amount of electronic equipment being dumped into landfill sites. Several eco-centres and accessible, convenient drop-off points have been set up to make it possible for the public to easily dispose of such material. Furthermore, as of October 1, eco-charges will be applied to the price of new electronic products sold in Quebec in an effort to support the implementation of the program. This government initiative demonstrates the importance of the work done by the experts at 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, who have been working towards the recycling of such equipment for the past 23 years. Thanks to this ecological initiative and to valuable partners including GEEP (Global Electric Electronic Processing), who took care of the recycling process, scores of electronic devices have been saved from the landfill.

About Réno-Dépôt
Réno-Dépôt is part of the RONA network, Canada's largest distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation, and gardening products. RONA operates a network of over 800 corporate, franchise, and affiliate stores of various sizes and formats, and employs nearly 30,000 people under a variety of banners in every region of Canada. The RONA network of stores generates annual retail sales of more than $6 billion. For more information, please visit rona.ca.

1-800-GOT-JUNK? A green partner
1-800-GOT-JUNK? is pioneering an industry that helps residents and businesses remove junk and regain space. Whether it's a pile of household junk in the garage or a warehouse full of office furnishings, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? removes it for you, making the ordinary business of junk removal exceptional. Passionate about recycling and donating to charity, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? was founded in 1989 and now operates in some 180 locations throughout North America and Australia. Please visit 1800gotjunk.com.

Download the official statement

Montreal, April 24, 2012 – Last April 22nd, the Collecte verte presented by 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and Réno-Dépôt was held as part of Earth Day 2012 celebrations. The 5th edition of this drop-off initiative resulted in the collection of 63 tonnes of electrical, electronic and computer waste. Approximately 1500 eco-responsible citizens came to dispose of their obsolete material in an environmentally-friendly way at seven Quebec Réno-Dépôt locations (Brossard, Saint-Hubert, Anjou, Marché Central, Pointe-Claire, Laval and Rosemère) as well as at Ameublements Tanguay in Quebec City. The event also featured an educational component that highlighted eco-friendly disposal methods of various household appliances, which was met with great success. Year after year, the Collecte verte shows itself to be THE most important eco-event for citizens across the province!

An environmental initiative for everyone
This initiative from 1-800-GOT-JUNK? gets bigger each and every year, saving tonnes of material from the landfill and limiting the risk of soil contamination. Twice a year in April and October, the Collecte verte offers the public a safe and eco-friendly way to dispose of their unwanted, unused or damaged appliances and material that has been taking up space in their homes. "Recycling has become automatic for more and more people, however, it's these large appliances that are challenging to get rid of," explains Gilles Dubé, owner of the Montérégie 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise. Since it began, the Collecte verte has collected over 200 tonnes of equipment, allowing them to be recycled ecologically instead of sitting in a landfill site.

Successful new additions this year
New this year, the Collecte verte included the drop-off of old barbecues and appliances. The addition of these new items to its already long list of acceptable items attracted even more people looking to do more to protect the environment. Tents were set up at each drop-off location so that 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchises and their teams could serve coffee and beverages to visitors throughout the day, all the while educating them on what the Collectes vertes do and their importance. This initiative drew a record number of concerned citizens wanting to learn more about how to recycle electronic, electrical and computer equipment.

About Réno-Dépôt
Réno-Dépôt is part of the RONA network. RONA is the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation and gardening products and operates a network of more than 800 corporate, franchise and affiliate stores of various sizes and formats. With close to 30,000 employees working under its family of banners in every region of Canada, the RONA store network generates more than $6 billion in annual retail sales. Visit rona.ca.

1-800-GOT-JUNK? A green partner
1-800-GOT-JUNK? is pioneering an industry that is helping residents and businesses remove junk and regain space. Whether it's a pile of household junk in the garage or a warehouse full of office furnishings, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? removes it for you, making the ordinary business of junk removal exceptional. We are passionate about recycling and donating to charity. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? was founded in 1989 and now operates throughout North America and Australia. Four franchises have opened in Quebec since 2006, covering a large part of the greater metropolitan area: the island of Montreal and surrounding area, West Island with an office in Dollard-Des Ormeaux, and the South Shore from their Longueuil location. A fourth location serves Quebec City.

Download the official statement

Montreal, April 27 2011 – A Collecte verte was held on April 23rd in Montreal and its surrounding suburbs during which over 20 tons of electrical and electronic junk was collected for free by 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. A local business specialized in responsible junk removal, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? was the instigator and principal partner of this amazing green initiative. In a single day, nearly double the waste avoided landfill compared to last year, not to mention 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Quebec City also collected 20 tons of equipment for a national total of 40 tons; a great success for an event that has now become a must!

The Collecte verte, an essential event in Québec
After the outstanding success of past events, organizers have decided to turn Collecte verte into a nonprofit organization, thereby maximizing the event’s exposure and allowing all to participate in their own way. A bi-annual event that occurs in April and September, the objective of this “green” day is to recycle various components of electrical appliances, electronic devices, and computer equipment, and, above all, to make sure that the chemical products sometimes found in such equipment do not contaminate the soil. “It is with immense pleasure that the franchises once again support this significant recycling operation. We hope to spread the message far and wide that recycling is imperative!” explains Brad Whitmore, owner of the West Island 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise. Last year’s events kept over 28 tonnes of equipment out of the landfill!

1-800-GOT-JUNK? A green partner
1-800-GOT-JUNK? in Quebec has become a leader in environmental preservation, continuously striving to improve its environmental performance through numerous activities, including the Collecte verte. All recovered items are stored, taken apart, or recycled in the hopes of finding a new home, or are offered to charitable organizations. Established in more than 180 cities across Canada, the United States, and Australia, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has been in operation for the last 22 years. The company has been in Québec since 2006, with four franchises covering a large metropolitan territory: the island of Montréal and surrounding region, West Island with an office in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, the South Shore with an office in Longueil, and an office in Québec City.

Download the official statement

Montreal, October 24, 2011 – Yesterday, 6 Réno-Dépôt outlets in Quebec and Ameublements Tanguay in Quebec City took part in La Collecte verte, collecting broken and unused electric, electronic, and computer equipment from the public for free. Franchisees of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, instigators of this now popular and firmly established twice-yearly event, saved more than 46 tonnes of equipment from the landfill! More than 1425 persons turned out at the various Collecte verte sites to take advantage of the opportunity and learn more about recycling. This event, held each year in April and October, is expanding through Quebec: to date, more than 140 tonnes of equipment have been collected in just four editions. La Collecte verte : an ecological initiative that really makes a difference!

Changing habits
As well as avoiding sending tons of equipment to landfills and preventing chemicals from contaminating the soil, La Collecte verte has a highly educational side as an opportunity to raise public awareness of daily recycling. “For more and more people, recycling has become a habit, but these kinds of products are a bigger problem when it comes time to dispose of them,” explained Gilles Dubé, owner of the Montérégie 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise. “That’s where La Collecte verte comes in: we take care of obsolete equipment that people have accumulated over time.”

About Réno-Dépôt
Réno-Dépôt is part of the RONA network, Canada’s biggest distributor and retailer of hardware, renovation, and gardening products. RONA operates a network of nearly 950 corporate, franchise and affiliate stores, of various sizes formats, and employs nearly 30,000 people in every region of Canada, under a variety of banners. The RONA store network includes more than 16 million square feet of retail space and registers annual retail sales of more than $6 billion. For more information, please visit www.rona.ca.

1-800-GOT-JUNK? A green partner
1-800-GOT-JUNK? is a leading figure in environmental protection, continually improving its ecological performance through numerous initiatives. All items recovered are stored, dismantled, or recycled in order to find a new owner, or given to charitable organizations. Over the 22 years that 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has been in business, it has set up shop in more than 300 cities in Australia, Canada, and the United States. Four franchises have opened in Quebec since 2006, covering a large part of the greater metropolitan area: the island of Montreal and its environs, the western part of the region from the Dollard-Des Ormeaux office, and the southern part from the Longueuil location. A fourth location serves Quebec City. To find out more, visit www.1800gotjunk.com.

Download the official statement

Montreal, October 22, 2013 – The 8th edition of La Collecte verte organized by 1-800-GOT-JUNK? in partnership with EPRA-Québec, was held on October 20 in seven Reno-Dépôt parking lots across Montreal and at Caisse populaire des Rivières in Quebec city. The drop-off, electronics recycling event helped the environment by inviting the public to recycle their unused, unwanted or damaged electrical appliances, barbeques, electronic devices or computer equipment. All items were collected by 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, while EPRA-Québec reclaimed electronic devices to ensure they are all recycled in accordance with Canadian industry standards. La Collecte verte offered people an easy, inexpensive way to get rid of old telephones, televisions, stoves and other items as part of their fall clean-up!

For this edition, 40 tonnes of electronic devices were collected, that brings up the total, since the creation of the event, to 246 tonnes! More than 1 500 visitors came by the different Montreal and Quebec city locations.

EPRA-Québec, a vital partner
The Québec Electronic Products Recycling Association (EPRA- Québec) is an industry-led, not-for-profit organization recognized by RECYC-QUÉBEC, and a vital partner of La Collecte verte. Electronic equipment represents 20 to 50 tonnes of worldwide waste each year, so events such as this are critical to reducing the province's overall waste. By recycling electronic devices in a responsible manner and giving them a "second life", EPRA-Québec not only helps to reduce the exorbitant quantity of electronic waste dumped into landfills, but also limits the illegal export of such items to developing countries. Furthermore, EPRA-Québec launched last year the Québec Program for the Recovery and Reclamation of Electronic Products. As a result, several eco-centres and drop-off points were set up for the public to have a convenient way of responsibly disposing of unwanted items. It is to support this initiative that La Collecte Verte was back for an 8th edition and ensure that much electronic equipment avoid landfills to be recycled 100%.

1-800-GOT-JUNK? a green partner
1-800-GOT-JUNK? is pioneering an industry that is helping residents and businesses remove junk and regain space. Whether it's a pile of household junk in the garage or a warehouse full of office furnishings, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? removes it for you, making the ordinary business of junk removal exceptional. We are passionate about recycling and donating to charity. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? was founded in 1989 and now operates throughout North America and Australia. Please visit us at 1800gotjunk.com.

About EPRA-Québec
As a recognized industry-led not-for-profit organization, EPRA-Québec provides an approved environmental compliance program for manufacturers, distributors and retailers of electronics marketed in Quebec. It is responsible for implementing and operating, on behalf of its stewards, a responsible program for the recovery and reclamation of electronic products in accordance with standards established by EPRA and the requirements of the Quebec Product Stewardship Program for End-of-Life Electrical and Electronic Equipment. For more information, visit: recycleMYelectronics.ca/qc.

Download the official statement

Montreal, April 23, 2013 – Yesterday, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? offered people the opportunity to do some spring cleaning and get rid of any unwanted electronic devices or electrical appliances, including outdated telephones, household appliances and old barbeques. For its 7th edition, La Collecte verte took place at seven Réno-Dépôt locations in the Montreal area as well as at Ameublements Tanguay in Quebec City. All items were recovered and recycled by the experts at 1-800-GOT-JUNK? in recognition of International Earth Day.

La Collecte verte: a 7th edition even more eco-friendly
La Collecte verte's objective is to educate and raise awareness about recycling and waste reduction. This year, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? experts made a commitment to reduce the carbon footprint created by cars and trucks that attend the event by offering the first 50 visitors to each location a small tree to plant at home!

A total of 206 tonnes collected since the beginning of La Collecte verte!
Some 20 to 50 million tonnes of waste are produced globally each year, proving without a doubt that La Collecte verte is an important contribution. To date, this annual event has recovered a whopping 206 tonnes! What's more, last July the Quebec government implemented a provincial program for the recovery and responsible recycling of regulated electronic products. Under the responsibility of EPRA (Electronic Product Recycling Association) le programme québécois de récupération et de valorisation responsable des produits électroniques, which aims to reduce the exorbitant amount of electronic equipment dumped into the landfill. As a result, several eco-centres and accessible drop-off points have been established so that the public may easily dispose of these materials.

EPRA manages the recycling process for La Collecte verte.

1-800-GOT-JUNK?
1-800-GOT-JUNK? is pioneering an industry that is helping residents and businesses remove junk and regain space. Whether it's a pile of household junk in the garage or a warehouse full of office furnishings, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? removes it for you, making the ordinary business of junk removal exceptional. We are passionate about recycling and donating to charity. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? was founded in 1989 and now operates in more than 170 locations throughout North America and Australia. For more information please visit: www.1800gotjunk.com.

Download the official statement

Montreal, April 28 2014 – Yesterday, the 9th edition of the Collecte Verte, an initiative of 1-800-GOT-JUNK? in collaboration with the EPRA- Québec collected 40.5 tons of electronic devices while 2000 visitors gathered to one of the 7 collection points. As in previous years, the recycling experts invited Montrealers and Quebecers to visit one of five collection points, located at the parking lots of Réno–Dépôt warehouses of Greater Montreal as well as those of Caisse Desjardins Des Rivières and Caisse Desjardins Sillery Saint-Louis-de-France of Quebec to dispose of their unwanted objects. Moreover, this year, the biannual event is now available to ICI (institutional, commercial, industrial)! Whether in order to make an ecological gesture or simply to unclutter their homes, citizens were able to dispose of their appliances and barbecues, as well as electrical and electronic equipment that have reached the end of their useful life, in an ecologically responsible manner.

An awareness movement!
Only a few days following Earth Day, the Collecte Verte is an integral part of a true societal effort to reduce environmental impact as well as to create awareness as to the effect of their actions. For nearly 25 years, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has recycled products of all kinds and helped to give them a second life, whether by recycling or donating them to charities.

Partner of the event since the fall of 2013, EPRA-Québec is a not-for-profit organization whose goal is to collect and recycle electronic products that have reached the end of their useful life in order to avoid sending them to landfills or illegal exporting. Founded in 2012 and recognized by RECYC-QUÉBEC, EPRA-Québec has established a vast network of authorized drop-off points accessible to all Quebecers. Thus, several ecocenters, retailers and other partners have opened their doors to citizens wishing to get rid of these types of objects with the greatest respect for the environment. This initiative, along with the Collecte Verte, also pursues an educational mission aimed at explaining the environmental hazards of not properly disposing of various electrical and electronic equipment.

A small gesture filled with very big repercussions
Knowing that 20 to 50 million tons of electronic waste are produced each year worldwide, there is no doubt as to the merits of a simple and free initiative such as the Collecte Verte. Through this event, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? shows that individual gestures, as small as they are, to reduce the environmental footprint, can have great impact when looked at as a whole. In fact, with the success of this edition, the total since the first edition of the event, is up to 286.5 tons. Moreover, the organization has helped increase awareness for thousands of people as to recycling in general as well as waste reduction.

1-800-GOT-JUNK?, a green partner
1-800-GOT-JUNK? has pioneered an industry that helps people dispose of unwanted items and regain space. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Transforms waste collection into a truly simple experience! Recycling is our passion, as is donating to charitable organizations. Founded in 1989, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? is active in approximately 180 sites in North America as well as Australia. For more about us, visit www.1800gotjunk.com/ca.

About EPRA-Québec
EPRA-Québec is a recognized not-for-profit organization that offers manufacturers, distributors and retailers of electronic products marketed in Québec an approved environmental compliance program. It has the responsibility to implement and operate a program for the ecologically responsible collection and recycling of electronic products for its members. This, in accordance with the requirements of Quebec Stewardship Program for electrical and end-of-life electronics. For more information, visit: recyclerMESelectroniques.ca/qc.

Download the official statement