The electronics recycling industry is entering a new phase of technological acceleration. Advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, advanced chemistry, and digital tracking are transforming facilities from manual operations into more automated, data-driven systems capable of recovering critical materials with greater precision and transparency. A useful analogy comes from NVIDIA’s “AI factory” concept, which treats data centers as continuous production systems....

Meta's $6 billion optical fiber agreement with Corning signals a coming wave of AI data center equipment retirements.

Malaysia’s growing role as a hub for global e‑scrap is colliding with corruption probes, large container seizures and regional backlash.  The pressure is putting Southeast Asia’s informal import trade under its harshest spotlight since China’s 2018 “National Sword” policy, which effectively shut the door on most foreign waste and recyclables and forced exporters to find new destinations. A string of...

As resale dynamics evolve, Blancco has released a new reimaging tool that aims to improve laptop rebuild quality for ITAD providers.

A recent report showing Europe is unlikely to secure enough critical minerals by 2030 has implications for ITAD firms and recyclers, as well as for policy developments.

Trade tensions between the US and EU are reshaping ITAD and e-scrap markets, lifting demand for refurbished hardware while increasing price volatility, compliance pressure and regional risk.

Early 2026 shows Europe accelerating IT asset disposition investment through facilities, acquisitions and regulation, while US ITAD growth continues in a more incremental model.

Server resale values jumped sharply in 2025 as AI infrastructure demand tightened supply, reshaping secondary IT markets and boosting returns for refurbished enterprise hardware.

Some of the most operationally relevant CES 2026 announcements for the e-scrap sector focused less on peak performance and more on serviceability.

Refurbished tech is moving mainstream as mid-generation phones, laptops and appliances drive demand, reshaping resale margins and signaling what future e-scrap streams will contain.