More than 500 people have donated over 16 tons of obsolete equipment in order to avoid landfills and protect the environment!

Montreal, October 25, 2010 – Yesterday, Québec’s four 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchises held a Green Waste Collection (Collecte verte) in various locations across the province with the objective of collecting used and obsolete electrical, electronic and computer equipment. This environmental initiative saw over 500 people visiting various collection points to donate over 16 tons of obsolete equipment, which would have otherwise ended up in landfills! Thanks to this astounding success and incredible turnout of participants, the 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchises are even more convinced of the necessity of this eco-friendly activity, and thus plan on holding this event again next April! www.collecteverte.ca

Collecte verte, a new Québec event
The Collecte verte is an environmental initiative by the 1-800-GOT-JUNK Quebec franchises, who wanted to do their part for the environment. With this success, they decided to stage an e-waste event twice a year, in April and October. “The objective of Collecte verte is to recycle components of old equipment, avoiding the contaminative chemical substances that are sometimes found in electronics and would have a negative impact on our environment,” explains Martin Rivard, Founder of Collecte verte and owner of 1-800-GOT-JUNK? in Quebec City.

1-800-GOT-JUNK? and the Environment
1-800-GOT-JUNK? has established itself as a key player in the province in efforts to reduce harm to the environmental, The World’s Largest Junk Removal Service, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? picks up a variety of items, from major appliances to garden debris to furniture and more. All recovered items are stored, broken down or recycled in the hopes of finding a new owner or donated to charity. Combining utility with social outreach is one of the company’s core values.

About 1-800-GOT-JUNK?
1-800-GOT-JUNK? is pioneering an industry that is helping residents and businesses remove junk and regain space. Whether it’s a pile of household junk in the garage or a warehouse full of office furnishings, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? removes it for you, making the ordinary business of junk removal exceptional. Founded in 1989, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? operates in approximately 175 locations throughout Canada, the U.S., and Australia. There are four franchise partners in Quebec, servicing the following regions: the island of Montréal and surrounding area; West Island with an office in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, the South Shore with an office in Longueil and Quebec City. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? is a leader in environmental protection and continuously strives to improve upon its ecological performance thanks to its numerous environmental initiatives.

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Montreal, April 24, 2012 – Last April 22nd, the Collecte verte presented by 1-800-GOT-JUNK? and Réno-Dépôt was held as part of Earth Day 2012 celebrations. The 5th edition of this drop-off initiative resulted in the collection of 63 tonnes of electrical, electronic and computer waste. Approximately 1500 eco-responsible citizens came to dispose of their obsolete material in an environmentally-friendly way at seven Quebec Réno-Dépôt locations (Brossard, Saint-Hubert, Anjou, Marché Central, Pointe-Claire, Laval and Rosemère) as well as at Ameublements Tanguay in Quebec City. The event also featured an educational component that highlighted eco-friendly disposal methods of various household appliances, which was met with great success. Year after year, the Collecte verte shows itself to be THE most important eco-event for citizens across the province!

An environmental initiative for everyone
This initiative from 1-800-GOT-JUNK? gets bigger each and every year, saving tonnes of material from the landfill and limiting the risk of soil contamination. Twice a year in April and October, the Collecte verte offers the public a safe and eco-friendly way to dispose of their unwanted, unused or damaged appliances and material that has been taking up space in their homes. "Recycling has become automatic for more and more people, however, it's these large appliances that are challenging to get rid of," explains Gilles Dubé, owner of the Montérégie 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise. Since it began, the Collecte verte has collected over 200 tonnes of equipment, allowing them to be recycled ecologically instead of sitting in a landfill site.

Successful new additions this year
New this year, the Collecte verte included the drop-off of old barbecues and appliances. The addition of these new items to its already long list of acceptable items attracted even more people looking to do more to protect the environment. Tents were set up at each drop-off location so that 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchises and their teams could serve coffee and beverages to visitors throughout the day, all the while educating them on what the Collectes vertes do and their importance. This initiative drew a record number of concerned citizens wanting to learn more about how to recycle electronic, electrical and computer equipment.

About Réno-Dépôt
Réno-Dépôt is part of the RONA network. RONA is the largest Canadian distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation and gardening products and operates a network of more than 800 corporate, franchise and affiliate stores of various sizes and formats. With close to 30,000 employees working under its family of banners in every region of Canada, the RONA store network generates more than $6 billion in annual retail sales. Visit rona.ca.

1-800-GOT-JUNK? A green partner
1-800-GOT-JUNK? is pioneering an industry that is helping residents and businesses remove junk and regain space. Whether it's a pile of household junk in the garage or a warehouse full of office furnishings, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? removes it for you, making the ordinary business of junk removal exceptional. We are passionate about recycling and donating to charity. 1-800-GOT-JUNK? was founded in 1989 and now operates throughout North America and Australia. Four franchises have opened in Quebec since 2006, covering a large part of the greater metropolitan area: the island of Montreal and surrounding area, West Island with an office in Dollard-Des Ormeaux, and the South Shore from their Longueuil location. A fourth location serves Quebec City.

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Montreal, April 27 2011 – A Collecte verte was held on April 23rd in Montreal and its surrounding suburbs during which over 20 tons of electrical and electronic junk was collected for free by 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. A local business specialized in responsible junk removal, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? was the instigator and principal partner of this amazing green initiative. In a single day, nearly double the waste avoided landfill compared to last year, not to mention 1-800-GOT-JUNK? Quebec City also collected 20 tons of equipment for a national total of 40 tons; a great success for an event that has now become a must!

The Collecte verte, an essential event in Québec
After the outstanding success of past events, organizers have decided to turn Collecte verte into a nonprofit organization, thereby maximizing the event’s exposure and allowing all to participate in their own way. A bi-annual event that occurs in April and September, the objective of this “green” day is to recycle various components of electrical appliances, electronic devices, and computer equipment, and, above all, to make sure that the chemical products sometimes found in such equipment do not contaminate the soil. “It is with immense pleasure that the franchises once again support this significant recycling operation. We hope to spread the message far and wide that recycling is imperative!” explains Brad Whitmore, owner of the West Island 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise. Last year’s events kept over 28 tonnes of equipment out of the landfill!

1-800-GOT-JUNK? A green partner
1-800-GOT-JUNK? in Quebec has become a leader in environmental preservation, continuously striving to improve its environmental performance through numerous activities, including the Collecte verte. All recovered items are stored, taken apart, or recycled in the hopes of finding a new home, or are offered to charitable organizations. Established in more than 180 cities across Canada, the United States, and Australia, 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has been in operation for the last 22 years. The company has been in Québec since 2006, with four franchises covering a large metropolitan territory: the island of Montréal and surrounding region, West Island with an office in Dollard-des-Ormeaux, the South Shore with an office in Longueil, and an office in Québec City.

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Montreal, October 24, 2011 – Yesterday, 6 Réno-Dépôt outlets in Quebec and Ameublements Tanguay in Quebec City took part in La Collecte verte, collecting broken and unused electric, electronic, and computer equipment from the public for free. Franchisees of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, instigators of this now popular and firmly established twice-yearly event, saved more than 46 tonnes of equipment from the landfill! More than 1425 persons turned out at the various Collecte verte sites to take advantage of the opportunity and learn more about recycling. This event, held each year in April and October, is expanding through Quebec: to date, more than 140 tonnes of equipment have been collected in just four editions. La Collecte verte : an ecological initiative that really makes a difference!

Changing habits
As well as avoiding sending tons of equipment to landfills and preventing chemicals from contaminating the soil, La Collecte verte has a highly educational side as an opportunity to raise public awareness of daily recycling. “For more and more people, recycling has become a habit, but these kinds of products are a bigger problem when it comes time to dispose of them,” explained Gilles Dubé, owner of the Montérégie 1-800-GOT-JUNK? franchise. “That’s where La Collecte verte comes in: we take care of obsolete equipment that people have accumulated over time.”

About Réno-Dépôt
Réno-Dépôt is part of the RONA network, Canada’s biggest distributor and retailer of hardware, renovation, and gardening products. RONA operates a network of nearly 950 corporate, franchise and affiliate stores, of various sizes formats, and employs nearly 30,000 people in every region of Canada, under a variety of banners. The RONA store network includes more than 16 million square feet of retail space and registers annual retail sales of more than $6 billion. For more information, please visit www.rona.ca.

1-800-GOT-JUNK? A green partner
1-800-GOT-JUNK? is a leading figure in environmental protection, continually improving its ecological performance through numerous initiatives. All items recovered are stored, dismantled, or recycled in order to find a new owner, or given to charitable organizations. Over the 22 years that 1-800-GOT-JUNK? has been in business, it has set up shop in more than 300 cities in Australia, Canada, and the United States. Four franchises have opened in Quebec since 2006, covering a large part of the greater metropolitan area: the island of Montreal and its environs, the western part of the region from the Dollard-Des Ormeaux office, and the southern part from the Longueuil location. A fourth location serves Quebec City. To find out more, visit www.1800gotjunk.com.

Download the official statement