We will be holding computer and electronic collection events at participating Home Hardware stores in the area this summer.

We will be at the following Home Hardware locations accepting select electronic items FREE of charge on the following dates:

• Tottenham Home Hardware store - Saturday, July 12 from 12pm to 5pm
• Cookstown Home Hardware store - Saturday, July 19 from 12pm to 5pm
• Orillia Home Hardware store - Saturday, August 9 from 12pm to 5pm
• Collingwood Home Hardware store - Saturday, August 16 from 12pm to 5pm

Items accepted on those days will include:

• Computers, Laptops
• Computer Parts
• Printers, Scanners
• Fax Machines
• Cell Phones, Telephones
• iPods, MP3 Players
• Stereos, CD-Players
• Cassette Decks
• Keyboards & Mice
• Cable Boxes, DVD Players
• Video Game Systems
• Radios, Walkmans
• Wire, Cable
• Power Tools

TVs and Monitors will not be collected at these events, however you are welcome to bring them to our shop during regular business hours for proper recycling.

Home Hardware is an environmental leader, having introduced Earth Care products in 1991 to help conserve and protect the environment. The EarthCare logo clearly identifies products that are energy efficient, biodegradable, recyclable, reusable, non-toxic, organic, manufactured from recycled material or help to conserve water.

Please use this event to unload some of your unwanted electronic gear to prevent the landfill disposal of it and as an opportunity to try some of the great solutions this company offers to protect our Earth.

Old TVs and Monitors are tough to get rid of - and it’s only going to get harder.

Even working monitors and TVs are tough to give away since LCD screens are becoming so affordable. Digital Television Broadcasts which are set to begin transmission from the USA in 2009 will also render older style TVs obsolete.

Because of hazardous contents including phosphors, mercury, cadmium and lead, we do not process these items in our shop but instead pay for responsible recycling through an Ontario Ministry of Environment approved facility in Toronto which dismantles them in a safe manner. The remains are reclaimed here in Canada - even the lead contained in the glass gets recovered in New Brunswick.

We accept TVs and Monitors at our shop for a flat fee depending on size.

• TVs and Monitors under 17 inches in size are accepted for $10 each, taxes included.
• TVs and Monitors 17 inches to under 27 inches are accepted for $20 each, taxes included.
• TVs and Monitors larger than 27 inches are accepted for $30 each, taxes included.

To determine the size of your screen, simply measure it diagonally from corner to corner.

Transparency is important in the recycling business to ensure that when something is supposed to get recycled it is in fact recycled.

Our process is simple and we’ve laid it out here in order to answer the important question “where does it go?”

1. Items received at our facility or picked up by us are first analyzed to determine whether they can be remarketed or donated for reuse.
2. Items identified with reuse potential are tested, components repaired or replaced as required, data is destroyed using Department of Defense standards, and offered for resale with a 30 day warranty to ensure that we are not selling junk.  Hard disk drives destroyed using our Data Destruct service are recycled for resource recovery.
3. Certain non-reusable items, such as older computers, are manually dismantled to major component levels - such as RAM, CPUs, power supplies, CD-ROM drives, etc - for testing of components which may have reuse potential.
4. Components with reuse potential are tested and offered for resale with a 30 day warranty.
5. Other non-reusable items such as non-functioning or obsolete computer components are stored until sufficient quantities are reached - usually about 500lbs - for resale to processors in Barrie, Toronto, and Montreal who are committed to non-export, non-landfill, and not using prison labour.
6. Plastics and cardboard are separated and recycled at our expense through a contract with BFI Canada.
7. Wood waste (such as from speaker cabinets and older stereos) is separated for decomposition as organics.
8. Monitors and TVs are sent, at our expense, to a local processor where they are broken down and recycled within Canada.
9. Rechargeable batteries are recycled through the Rechargeable Batteries Recycling Corporation in Fort Erie, Ontario.

We’ve attempted to make everything clear here - if you have any questions about our process please feel free to ask.

What does Thriftopia.com do?

We collect old, unwanted and non-functioning electronics for reuse or recycling. We also offer pick up services and physical hard disk drive destruction to prevent data & identity theft.

How does Thriftopia.com make money?

We resell working electronics and sell the scrap from dismantled older electronics. Monitors, Televisions and disposable batteries cost us money to have processed responsibly. Scrap revenues range from $0.02 per pound up to $2.00 per pound depending on the item, on average we get about $0.05 per pound. Needless to say, we’re not in it for the money alone.

We also earn revenues through our pick up services and by offering physical data destruction services.

Is Thriftopia.com part of a larger company?

No. We would love to be part of a larger organization to extend our reach, divert more electronic waste from landfills and prevent export, and put more people to work. We are also seeking corporate sponsors to assist us in executing collection events to serve a larger region.

Is Thriftopia.com a charity?

No. Perhaps we should be as we are still striving for profitability (ha ha ha) but we are a federally registered for-profit corporation. We place other values above our financial bottom line - such as the number of pounds of e-waste diverted, the number of people employed who would otherwise only be receiving Ontario Disability Support Pension and our reputation in the community.

Does Thriftopia.com accept donations?

Yes - although they would not be tax deductible as we are not a charity.

If you’d like to show your support for our mission, you can donate your old electronics and pay for old Television and Monitor disposal through our normal service offerings.

Protecting your privacy by hiring us to destroy your old hard disk drive or to pick up items from your premises are also good ways to help us out.

Corporate partners are always welcome to show support through co-operative promotions or other means.

How do I use this website?

This website is not meant to be a hard-sell of Thriftopia.com’s services. While we need to sell our services in order to remain active, it is our intent that this site also be a resource for information about electronic waste issues, other health impacting environmental concerns, and advocacy for responsible governance of waste matters.

We invite participation and debate - if you see something here you disagree with, please post a comment. This site is meant to be an interactive, engaging conversation about one of the fastest growing solid waste streams on the little planet we call home.

The following is a compilation of videos available for viewing on YouTube.

We have had the good fortune to be mentioned in a number of publications and broadcasts.

They are listed below from oldest to newest.

• Barrie Advance, July 9, 2007
• Innisfil Scope, August 15, 2007
• Rogers Television, September 25, 2007
• Toronto Sun, February 27, 2008
• A Channel News, March 12, 2008
• Solid Waste & Recycling Magazine, April 12, 2008
• Alliston Herald, April 19, 2008
• HazMatMag.com, May 1, 2008
• Solid Waste & Recycling Magazine, May 5, 2008
• “Break Through” (Centre for Addiction and Mental Health) Newsletter, Spring 2008
• The Innisfil Scope, July 2, 2008
• Solid Waste & Recycling Magazine, July 4, 2008
• A Channel News at 6, July 10, 2008
  

Thanks to everyone who continues to help us spread the word and keep resources working!

For media information or to arrange an interview, please call Catalyst Communications Choreography by calling 705-791-7209 or email info@catalystcc.ca

Recognizing that it may not always be practical to drop off your old equipment, we offer removal services in our region.

For as little as $25, we will remove devices from your premises within the City of Barrie and process the remains in a green manner. Please call us if you are outside of Barrie so that we may provide a quote for pick up.

Please note: items must be ready to load, pick up fee includes up to 15 minutes of loading time. We charge $20 for each additional 15 minutes of loading time.

Items listed on our FREE computer recycling list will be removed at no additional charge, except for monitors or televisions for which our standard $1 per inch handling fee applies.

Service Area

We are currently able to provide pickup services to communities in Central Ontario as far south as the Greater Toronto Area.

Special Pricing

Thriftopia.com offers volume discounts and annual contract pricing.

Please call for more information.

We are a social enterprise owned and operated by people with disabilities based in Barrie, Ontario providing computer reuse, recycling and related services to the public and companies large and small.  Our mission is to improve tomorrow by keeping people and resources working.

We have served large customers including Staples Business Depot, The Simcoe County District School Board, and Casino Rama.

How can we be of service to you?

Some services we provide include:

• DataDestruct - Secure, guaranteed physical destruction of hard disk drives and other data storage devices to keep your information private.
  
• FREE Computer & Electronics Recycling - We offer a place for you to bring your old computers, fax machines, printers, etc. for reuse if possible or responsible recycling.
• Low Cost TV & Monitor Recycling - Responsible, low cost TV and Monitor recycling services.
• Pick Up Services - No time to drop it off? We can take it away!

We’re here to help make it easy to do the right thing by recycling old electronics and computers. Please let us know how we can serve you!

Reach Us:

By phone - 705-828-7162
By fax - 705-812-3326
By email - recycle@thriftopia.com
In person - 33 Alliance Blvd, Unit 3, Barrie, Ontario

Old computers often contain contact lists, schedules, banking information, and even private company documents. They can also contain photos, email, conversation history from chat software, videos, music, and other personal data.

Companies in Canada are responsible to ensure that personal information has been securely destroyed when it is no longer required under Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

You can protect yourself and your company from data theft by ensuring that your computer is either erased before donating it or hiring a company like ours to provide you with a certificate guaranteeing that your information is gone.

We offer flat rate physical data destruction services for $20 per hard disk or less depending on volumes. Hard Drives are destroyed and recycled and certificates of destruction are provided upon completion.  For those who need to see it destroyed to believe it, we offer on-site hard drive destruction as well, pricing varies depending on location and volume of drives to be destroyed.

For home users or those who just want to pass a computer on, there is a FREE solution available called DBAN that you can use yourself to wipe your hard drive to protect your privacy. You can download the software by clicking here.

If you’re looking for a way to unload some unwanted electronics or computer gear we are happy to be of service!

If you need to recycle a TV or Monitor please click here.

We currently accept the following items FREE of charge for reuse and/or recycling:
Computers

• Desktop Personal Computers - PC (all brands including HP/Hewlett Packard, Compaq, Gateway, Dell, IBM, Toshiba, MDG, Acer and no-name) and Apple / Mac
• Computer Servers - PC and Mac
• CD Burners
• CD-ROM Drives
• Computer Cords
• Computer Memory / RAM
• DVD Burners
• DVD-ROM Drives
• Floppy Disk Drives
• Hard Disk Drives
• Inkjet and Laser Printers
• Joysticks / Game Controls
• Keyboards
• Misc. Cables
• Modems
• Mouse
• Multifunction Printer / Scanner / Copier / Fax machines
• Network Cards
• Network Wire
• Printer Cables
• Scanners
• Speakers
• USB Cables
• Video Cards

Electronics

• 3D0 Game Systems
• 8 Track Players
• Atari
• Blackberry
• Boomboxes
• Cable Boxes
• Camcorders / Video Cameras
• Cameras
• CD Players
• Cellular Telephones
• Collecovision
• Corded Telephones
• Cordless Telephones
• Cords
• Digital Cameras
• DVD Players
• Electrical Wire
• Electronic Children’s Toys
• Handheld Personal Computers
• iPods
• Leapfrog Educational Game System
• Microsoft Xbox
• Microsoft Xbox 360
• Mini Stereo Systems
• MP3 Players
• Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)
• Nintendo Gameboy
• Nintendo Gameboy Advance
• Nintendo Gameboy Color
• Nintendo Gameboy DS
• Nintendo GameCube
• Nintendo Wii
• PalmPilots
• PBX Phone Systems
• Personal Digital Assistants
• Portable Cassette Players
• Portable Compact Disc Players
• Portable Radios
• Power Tools
• Projectors
• RCA Cables
• Radios
• Remote controls
• Satellite Recievers
• Sega Dreamcast
• Sega GameGear
• Sega Genesis
• Sony PlayStation
• Sony PlayStation 2
• Sony PlayStation 3
• Sony PlayStation Portable (PSP)
• Speak ‘n Spell
• Speaker Wire
• Speakers
• Stereo Recievers
• Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)
• Tape Decks
• Telephone Wire
• TurboGrafix 16
• Turntables / Record Players
• TV Cable
• VCRs - VHS, SVHS and Betamax

NOTE: Televisions & Monitors
We currently charge $1 per screen inch (measured diagonally from corner to corner) to accept TVs and Monitors in any condition (working or not) due to the cost of disposal.
Please do not leave TVs or Monitors without paying for them as they cost us nearly $800 per ton and this has an impact on the number of jobs we can create for people in need.

We are also unable to accept microwaves at this time.

Don’t see it on the list? Please call 705-828-7162 or email to confirm that we accept an unlisted item - there are so many electronic devices that we may have omitted one by mistake.

Drop Off
You can bring computers and accessories to the BACK DOOR of our workshop near Georgian College in Barrie any time!

Come on in during our operating hours (Monday - Friday, 9am - 4pm) if you would like a hand unloading.

Our address is: 33 ALLIANCE BOULEVARD, UNIT #3, BARRIE, ONTARIO L4M 5K2

Recycle by Mail
If we’re outside of your area or too far to arrange an economical pickup, we invite you to ship your items to us. We are happy to accept all items listed by mail! Simply send your package to the address above.

No time to drop it off? We offer Removal Services for businesses and busy people!

Location
33 Alliance Boulevard, Unit 3
Barrie, Ontario L4M 5K2

Hours & Drop Offs
Our office is open to accept items 9AM - 4PM Monday - Friday.

Telephone
(705) 828-7162

Facsimilie
(705) 812-3326

email

Map (Click for full size)

Firstly, we would have accomplished nothing without help from people like you, our visitors and customers who decide to take time out of your day to bring your old electronics to us for recycling… and special thanks to those of you who pay the fees for recycling your old TVs and Monitors!!

Thank you to our supporters! In addition to passing along technologies to us for recycling, these people and companies have contributed to the growth of our enterprise:

Patrick (Senior) and Debra Hebert, Parents of Patrick Hebert (Jr.) and future in-laws of Tammy Markham
Without their generous financial and physical help, we would still be in our garage at home.

Andrew Rogerson, Barrister, Solicitor & Notary Public
Provision of legal services.

Peggy Crane, Careers for Inclusion Inc.
Unlocking opportunities for people with disabilities.

Jeff Nixon & Rychard Lardner, Lardner & Company Professional Corporation - Chartered Accountants
Provision of accounting services.

Amanda Sutton, Catalyst Communications Choreography
Public Relations planning, consulting and execution.

Harvey Coleman, Coleman & Associates
Early stage startup consulting for IT firms.

Michael Keith, MSK Associates
Strategic planning consulting.

Margaret Harlos, Living Organized
Professional solutions for Earth-friendly office and home organization.

Welcome to our website!

We are a social enterprise on a mission to keep people and natural resources working. We accept most electronic and computer items free of charge from business and the community and support our operation through the revenues we earn by rebuilding working computers and selling electronic scrap to responsible processors.

Although we’re on a social mission, we are not a charity and have not received special subsidies or grants from any source for our project.  We depend on the generosity of people like you to send us your old electronics and help spread the word about our services.  We also accept cash donations to help us achieve our objectives.

Started by Patrick Hebert (Jr.) and Tammy Markham, we initially sold older technologies on eBay but have evolved our company to do more. We now rebuild computers for resale and dismantle what doesn’t work for proper recycling here at home. No export, no landfill, no prison labour.

As we have learned more about the global e-waste problem and the effect it has on communities around the world, we have become more passionate about diversion and domestic recycling initiatives.

As people living with challenges, we want to prove that not only are we able to do something to contribute to society, but that our culture’s wasteful mindset about products and people is impractical.

A key factor in our start up was consideration for Patrick’s brother Jon who is kind, warm, loving and just so happens to not be able to read or write due to severe epilepsy as a child. His value as a person is incalculable though since he is so grateful to have the opportunity to work that he is consistently a high performer.

Jon’s strong work ethic, combined with Patrick and Tammy’s need to contribute to society drove the couple to build a company around the philosophy that all people and resources have value, and neither belong in landfills.

We have processed over 30 tons of discarded electronics since our inception in April 2007 and have been able to create additional paid employment opportunities for other people living with disabilities.
Careers for Inclusion Inc has been instrumental in supporting our recruiting efforts.

While many companies measure their success by THE bottom line, we have three to keep tabs on:

1. How many pounds of electronics have we diverted from landfill and export?
2. How many jobs have we created?
3. What value are we delivering to our stakeholders (investors, employees, customers)?

We offer many services to help solve the 50,000,000 ton global e-waste problem including FREE computer and electronics recycling.