CC Ever Better recently pled guilty in Newmarket provincial court to one charge of attempting to ship a container load of used computer monitors to China for recycling without an export permit, contrary to the Export and Import of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material, contrary to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. CC Ever Better was ordered to donate $15,000 to the federal Environmental Damages Fund; Judge Bourque asked the Fund to consider using the money for an important local project proposed by the Lake Simcoe Conservation Fund. Charges against two individuals were withdrawn.
Environment Canada has been very slow in getting the word out to the Chinese community that such shipments are illegal, notwithstanding the strong demand from buyers in Hong Kong and China. Container loads of computer monitors are still traded openly, even though convictions under this regulation carry a criminal record. However, enforcement has recently picked up somewhat in both Canada and the United States.