Every year, the RRC Polytech community comes together to reduce waste and rethink how materials can be reused or recovered. As part of Waste Reduction Week (October 20–24), the E-Waste Drive invites students, staff, and faculty to bring in unwanted electronics so they can be properly recycled, keeping hazardous materials out of landfills and giving valuable components a second life.

Why E-Waste Recycling Matters

E-waste includes any electronic or electrical item that has reached the end of its useful life, such as laptops, phones, tablets, printers, monitors, light bulbs, ink & toner and cartridges as well as other small devices.

When these products are discarded improperly, they can release hazardous substances like lead, mercury, cadmium, and chromium into the environment. These contaminants can leach into soil, water, and air, posing serious risks to human health and ecosystems.

Proper e-waste recycling prevents this pollution and allows valuable materials, including metals, plastics, and glass, to be safely recovered and reused. Recycling e-waste is an important way to protect the environment, conserve resources, and reduce the impact of electronic consumption.

What Can Be Dropped Off

You can bring:

• Laptops, computers, and tablets
• Printers and toners
• Phones, chargers, and cables
• Keyboards, mice, and accessories
• Small electronics, such as cameras, speakers, and headphones
• Light bulbs

See here for the complete list of items you can bring.

For Staff: College-Owned Electronics

Items with an asset tag and considered IT equipment, such as monitors and laptops, follow the appropriate disposal process.

For more information, visit Staff Forum

Where You Can Drop Off Your E-Waste (October 20–24)

• Notre Dame Campus: Shipping and Receiving (B183) and Library Hallway
• Exchange District Campus (Roblin Centre): Shipping and Receiving (W101)

After You Drop It Off

All materials collected during the E-Waste Drive are sent to Mother Earth Recycling (MER), an Indigenous social enterprise that contributes to Winnipeg’s circular economy.

MER focuses on recycling and reusing hard-to-recycle materials such as mattresses, electronics, light bulbs, and car seats. Instead of these items ending up in landfills, MER reprocesses them locally, helping to keep materials in use and recover valuable components like metal, foam, and wood.

What Happens to E-Waste

When electronics arrive at Mother Earth Recycling, they are safely taken apart, and all components are sorted for reuse or recycling. Metals, plastics, and glass are recovered to make new products, while data from hard drives and other devices is securely destroyed. Some electronics that can be repaired are refurbished and offered at affordable prices to the community.

By keeping all processing local and providing local jobs, Mother Earth Recycling helps reduce landfill waste, recover valuable resources, and support a more sustainable and local economy.

Together, we can make a difference. Small actions can have a huge impact! Every device we recycle helps prevent pollution, protects our environment, and contributes to RRC Polytech’s sustainability goals.