The share of households with unwanted electronics was flat to lower in Statistics Canada’s biennial survey. | Veja/Shutterstock
The portion of Canadians reporting unwanted electronics awaiting disposal was flat to lower, according to the most recent national survey measuring how residents are generating and managing e-scrap amid increased use of technology.
Statistics Canada conducts the biennial survey, speaking to about 65,000 households, in each of the country’s 10 provinces.
According to an analysis of the most recent data, collected in 2023, 16% of households reported that they had small appliances awaiting disposal, making this category the most common. Rounding out the list were:
- Computers: 14% of households (-1 point from 2021)
- Televisions: 14% (unchanged from 2021)
- Cell phones: 14% (unchanged from 2021)
- Printers: 10% (-1)
- Audiovisual equipment: 9% (-1)
- Microwave ovens: 6% (unchanged)
- Landline telephones: 5% (-1)
- Set-top boxes: 5% (not measured in previous years)
- Wearable electronics: 4% (not measured in previous years)
- Electronic gaming equipment: 3% (unchanged)
Although the share of people reporting unwanted cell phones was unchanged from 2021 at 14%, the portion returning phones to a supplier or retailer increased by 4 points while those utilizing a depot or dropoff center dropped 7 points to 33%.
The survey showed not just the types of e-scrap Canadians generated, but also how they disposed of it: 64% of households that donated or gave away their unwanted computers, printers or televisions utilized a depot or dropoff center. This is lower than the 66% reported in 2021 but significantly higher than the 58% seen in 2017.
“Although shorter mobile contracts have become the norm, many Canadians are hanging onto their older phones and opt to use them for a cheaper month-to-month plan,” the analysis said.
Canadian gamers also indicated they are keeping their video games and equipment longer. Only 3% of households reported having unwanted gaming equipment; of that small portion, 52% took the equipment to a depot or dropoff center, lower by 4 points from the previous survey, while 21% donated or gave the systems away, lower by 3 points.