SWEEP: Revisiting The Rent Seekers

SDA: August 13, 2007:

In, Feb 2006, EPSC submits an industry led product stewardship plan to the Government of Saskatchewan. In May 2006, the Government of Saskatchewan approves the stewardship plan submitted. (Well, it appears that the EPSC has found its compliant Government.)

Shortly there after, EPSC then creates a non profit organization called SWEEP to administer the plan.

Now, let's have a look at the board of directors of SWEEP:

We see Sean DeVries of Panasonic Canada as Chair, Nick Aubry of Sony Canada, Rebecca Brown of Dell Canada, etc, etc, etc and David Betts of EPSC as Executive Director. Oh, wait a moment, let's have a look at the board of directors of EPSC. (See: http://www.epsc.ca/a_board.html) We see the brands of Dell Canada , Sony Canada , Panasonic Canada listed (amongst a few other well known brands such as HP, Toshiba, etc) and David Betts as President and CEO of EPSC. (David Betts has recently stepped down and has been replaced)

What is up with this? Many of the same people and companies of EPSC are also represented on the board of SWEEP. It would appear that the industry not only makes products, but it is now in charge of the disposal of the same products they make. Have the foxes just been put in charge of the hen house?

Can we trust electronic producers to police? Has our government sold our environment out to product producers or representatives of producer's interests? How independent and arms length is this program, and does it represent the public's best interests? Or does this ewaste program reflect only the interests of the corporations behind it?

These might be some very tough questions to put to the Minister responsible.

Who is exactly paying for development of the SWEEP program? Again, I refer to Mr. David Betts' speech in Orlando : (see: http://www.epsc.ca/pdfs/betts_orlando_speech.pdf) and I quote: 'We consider the financing we have received an advance that will be paid back to members following program introduction.'

Just how much money raised from Ewaste recycling fees are being diverted to repay EPSC and it's member companies? Can the general public who is PAYING ewaste fees every time they purchase a computer or television review or audit the funds and how they are spent?

Canadian Taxpayers Federation: July 17, 2009

As the largest e-recycler in Saskatchewan, Moen's business was already recycling 60 tonnes of e-waste per month before SWEEP ever existed. Recycling was profitable enough without any government programs. Moen picked up unwanted electronics for free and refurbished what he could for resale. The rest was dismantled and the remaining gold, silver, lead, cadmium, mercury, ferrous metal and plastic was separated and recycled.

Yet, Moen's company was shut out from SWEEP by the provincial government. Instead, SARCAN became the sole collection agency for the SWEEP program. SARCAN would have the computers dismantled, while all televisions and monitors would go to eCycle Solutions, an Alberta-based company. That company also recycles e-waste collected from other government-mandated recycling programs established in British Columbia and Alberta.

Moen's competitive disadvantage in the current climate is made clear on the eCycle website. There eCycle admits, "Because we are government subsidized our services represent a significant cost savings for you"; Nearly $2.3 million was spent by SWEEP on collection, processing, and its environmental audit last fiscal year, almost all of which was sent to eCycle and facilities contracted out by SARCAN. Unfortunately for consumers, SWEEP collected more than twice as much ($6.2 million) in Environmental Handling Fees (read: taxes) during that time.

Even greater excesses could soon follow, to the harm of recyclers like Moen and consumers alike. By 2010, SWEEP expects to expand its application of eco-taxes. The EPSC has already identified a list of items to tax, including: copiers, palm pilots, scanners, telephones, cell phones, stereos, speakers, MP3 players, iPods and DVD players.

The worst part is that, unlike private sector recyclers such as Moen, SWEEP has had much talk but little action on refurbishing and re-using electronics. Not only is this worse for the environment, this leaves second-hand computer stores in Saskatchewan having to import products from out-of-province.

Call your SaskParty MLA. They were elected to rid us of the NDP mindset, not emulate it.