Unravelling the story about household textile and e-waste disposal in Canada

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Release date: February 15, 2022
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Infographic: Unravelling the story about household textile and e-waste disposal in Canada
Description: Unravelling the story about household textile and e-waste disposal in Canada

Canadians diverted 105,270 tonnes of e-waste from going to landfills and incinerators in 2018.

Canadian households sent 10,848,238 tonnes of waste to landfills and incinerators in 2018. This represents about 725 kilograms per household.

In 2018, 58,895 tonnes of textile waste were diverted from going to landfills and incinerators. Households accounted for 58,407 tonnes.

In 2019, 43% of households reported they had e-waste to dispose of and most of it was sent to a depot or drop-off centre.


Disposal methods for household textile waste, 2017 and 2019
Table summary
This table displays the results of Disposal methods for household textile waste 2017 and 2019, calculated using As a % of households that had textiles to dispose of units of measure (appearing as column headers).
2017 2019
% of households that had textiles to dispose of 47 63
As a % of households that had textiles to dispose of
Put them in the garbage 13 21
Took or sent them to a depot or drop-off centre 10 21
Returned them to a supplier/retailer 1 1
Donated or gave them away 89 80
Sold them 1 4
Still had them 4 7

Disposal methods for household e-waste, 2017 and 2019
Table summary
This table displays the results of Disposal methods for household e-waste Computers, TVs or computer monitors, Cell phones, Gaming equipment , Printers and fax machines, Audio/visual equipment, Landline phones , Microwave ovens, 2017 and 2019, calculated using As a % of households that had this type of unwanted device to dispose of units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Computers TVs or computer monitors Cell phones Gaming equipment Printers and fax machines Audio/visual equipment Landline phones Microwave ovens
2017 2019 2017 2019 2017 2019 2017 2019 2017 2019 2017 2019 2017 2019 2017 2019
As a % of households that had this type of unwanted device to dispose of
Put them in the garbage 2 3 3 4 2 3 Note F: too unreliable to be published Note F: too unreliable to be published 2 5 3 3 7 8 8 10
Took or sent them to a depot or drop-off centre 58 63 60 65 28 33 47 49 60 65 60 65 42 50 52 53
Returned them to a supplier/retailer 9 9 7 6 17 15 5 7 11 7 7 6 7 7 4 3
Donated or gave them away 9 12 12 14 9 11 22 20 9 12 12 16 10 11 15 17
Repaired or sold them 1 2 2 2 4 5 5 12 1 1 1 3 Note F: too unreliable to be published Note F: too unreliable to be published 2 2
Still had them 24 24 16 15 42 40 23 17 19 17 17 17 33 25 16 13
F too unreliable to be published

Source: Statistics Canada, Households and the Environment Survey, 2017 and 2019, and Waste Management Industry Survey, 2018.

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Copyright

Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2022

Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

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