Toronto, Ontario — November, 17 — Summerhill Impact is aiming to help raise $120,000 by December 31 to fund arctic cleanup initiatives in Canada.
The Toronto-based non-profit’s participation in the crowd-funding campaign joins the efforts of 14 partners across the country in bringing back end-of-life vehicles from the arctic through the Tundra Take-Back program.
Developed to recycle and remove toxic chemicals and materials from old, rusted cars, trucks, ATVs, and other vehicles deemed to be no longer road-worthy in Canada’s North, the program requires the fundraising goal amount to clean up one community.
“We recognize that Arctic Canada is one of the most challenging places to implement a recycling program because of the distance from major recycling facilities,” says Janet Taylor, Account Manager at Summerhill Impact. “So we wanted to prove a point and say, if we can do it here, we can do it anywhere.”
Earlier this year, Summerhill Impact ran a pilot project with successful results, including:
- 10 community members trained and mentored in recycling and hazardous waste management in two Arctic communities: Arviat and Gjoa Haven;
- 80 end-of-life vehicles de-polluted over the course of ten days;
- 31 metric tonnes of recyclables and hazardous wastes extracted and recycled (highlights include the recovery of over 1,000 batteries, approximately 2,000 tires and over 20 barrels of automotive fluids); and,
- A sustainable model for recycling in northern regions was made possible, by working with local companies/organizations who provided discounts or other types of in-kind contributions to offset the costs of this work.
“Vehicles are needed in the northern climate, but they also need to be properly decommissioned at their life’s end. We are proud contributors to this program, because Tundra Take-Back helps bridge that knowledge and experience gap,” says Steve Fletcher, Automotive Recyclers of Canada’s Managing Director and Tundra Take-Back partner.
Summerhill Impact’s pilot project’s supporters include Arctic Co-operatives Limited, Automotive Recyclers of Canada, Automotive Recyclers Association, Calm Air, Canadian North, Gerdau, Environment Canada, Eskimo Point Lumber, Inns North, Hamlet of Arviat, Hamlet of Gjoa Haven, Nunavut Sealink and Supply, Padlei Co-operative, and Qikiqtaq Co-operative.
To learn more about the Tundra Take-Back program, or donate, please visit fundrazr.com/campaigns/btbzf/ab/d3iVU4.
