Recycling
As an integrated non-ferrous metal producer, Teck is uniquely positioned to provide recycling solutions for metal-bearing manufacturing scraps and residues and post-consumer scrap materials.
For example, Teck’s pioneering efforts in recycling spent lead acid batteries led to collaboration with the B.C. Government and other stakeholders in the development of Canada’s first provincial Lead Acid Battery Collection Program. The Trail Metallurgical Complex continues to annually recycle thousands of metric tonnes of lead acid battery products from customers and collectors.
Teck is a primary recycler for the Encorp Return-ItTM Electronics program in BC. For more information on the program and to find a collection site near you, you can visit the BC Electronics Recycling Program website.
Teck also has worked with numerous customers to develop cradle-to-cradle recycling solutions for manufacturing waste and for end-of-life products, thereby enabling effective product life cycle management programs.
E-waste and the 2010 Medals
In recent years a process has been developed to recycle end-of-life-electronic equipment, also known as electronic waste or e-waste. Teck’s Electronics Recycling Process, in consultation with the B.C. Ministry of the Environment, has been tested and proven to meet the exacting environmental standards needed for the responsible processing of e-waste. Teck is proud to be part of the solution to the rapidly growing volume of end-of-life electronic equipment generated by our modern society.
Recycled metal is just as lustrous and precious as conventional metal. Recycled metal can be sourced from many manufactured metal products, including household appliances, electronics or cables. Teck’s process involves recovering metals contained in cathode ray tube glass, computer parts and circuit boards through smelting. The process involves shredding, separating, and heating of the various electronic components to recover a variety of metals.
Thanks to this process, the 2010 medals are making Olympic and Paralympic history as they will be the first to contain gold, silver and copper recovered from processing circuit boards from end-of-life electronics (e-waste) otherwise destined for the landfill. The e-waste used in the medals is being collected and processed at Teck's Trail Operations and at Umicore in Belgium.