Let’s say you come into London Drugs and pick up a Compact Fluorescent Bulb for your hall light. At the checkout, (in BC) you will notice there’s something called a ‘CFL Levy’ of 25 cents added to the bill. It’s an environmental fee, which funds the recycling programs that take care of disposal when the bulb has reached the end of its long and efficient life. So who collects these fees? Why do we need them, and where do they go?
Product Stewardship – Industry and consumers taking care of the mess.
CFL bulbs are just the latest in a long line of products to receive eco-levies. In the 1990’s, municipal and Provincial governments realized they were paying a lot to handle the increasing waste from the products we throw away. In response, they began to legislate product producers to be responsible for recycling products, beginning with the most difficult-to-dispose-of items, such as paint, tires and lead-acid batteries. In BC, these programs were implemented in the form of industry-led stewardship associations responsible for the collection and recycling of old products.
Those who produce and use the products pay.
To fund these organizations, levies are set and passed on to the consumer. This was seen as a fairer way to fund recycling than using tax revenue. Fees can either be visible or invisible. Visible fees are fees charged at the retail level and shown on the consumer’s receipt while invisible fees are included in the cost of product.
Where does the money go?
The association responsible for your CFL bulb fee is Lightrecycle, managed by ProductCare. I followed our 25 cents into the stewardship system by talking with ProductCare Controller and Project Manager, Vnit Nath.
“The fees are sent to Product Care, and we use them to set up systems, then fund collection depots, transport and processing of the recycled products.” Vnit explained. “We also fund education and outreach programs to engage the public. All recycling must be done by certified processors, and our association is subject to a financial audit, which is publicly available.”
BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and Nova Scotia have all implemented stewardship plans, and other jurisdictions are following suit.
In Alberta and Ontario, stewardship associations are quasi-governmental organizations. You can find a good overview of provincial (and a few US) associations here. Plans are in place for electronics and small appliances and will eventually be set up for larger appliances, packaging and more. It means more eco-fees, but savings for our municipalities and less waste. That’s worth more than a few cents at the checkout.
Links to find out more:
Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA)
BC Ministry of Environment Product Stewardship
Saskatchewan Waste Electrical Equipment Program
I’ve been reading a lot of issues about CFLs and the danger it may bring. I don’t know if I already need to change my bulbs at home. All of my bulbs are CFLs. My contractor who took his Contractor Continuing Education said that LED is much better to use.
Hi Haley
There are a lot of different thoughts on the CFL issue – but most seem to agree they are quite safe. (traditional fluorescent lights have been with us for a long time) LED’s are a superior option in my opinion, though. More efficient and they last even longer.