The world's two largest smartphone brands, Samsung and Apple, shipped fewer devices in 2016 than one year earlier. But, according to a report by International Data Corporation (IDC), overall smartphone shipments rose over the previous year, thanks to substantial increases from Chinese manufacturers. Overall, 2016 saw about 1.47 billion smartphones shipped worldwide, IDC reported, which was about 33 million more...

Lawmakers are proposing an increase in Connecticut's bottle deposit handling fee for the eighth time since 2000. The move would raise the amount distributors must pay retailers and redemption centers to handle bottle returns. The most recent bill, House Bill 5618, which was proposed this month, doesn't specify the amount of the increase. But it states the goal of boosting...

Thermoforms are a growing factor in the PET recycling game, and the National Association for PET Container Resources wants to continue that trend. Kate Eagles, NAPCOR program director, said the group's goal is "to make recycling PET thermoforms as easy as recycling PET bottles, without disrupting bottle recycling infrastructure." In a webinar this week, Eagles touched on the state of...

A recycling incentive and outreach program is now available to all Phoenix households, an effort that is aiming to boost participation and lower contamination. The program, launched this month, is a result of a contract between the city and New York-based Recyclebank. The contract is part of a plan for Arizona's largest municipality to double its diversion rate to 40...

College students in Manitoba, Canada won a cash prize last week for coming up with an innovative way to reduce volumes of electronic waste.University of Manitoba students Haneen Shouman, Maria Sanchez and Michael Hall proposed the idea of an annual weekend-long curbside e-scrap recycling collection program. Bringing collection to residents' homes and accepting all types of electronics would make it more...

As the IT asset disposition industry matures, market factors are pushing hard toward more asset reuse rather than commodity sales. That's according to a report from Midwest ITAD firm Cascade Asset Management. The third-annual report from Cascade Asset Management, an ITAD company with processing facilities in Wisconsin and Indiana, provided a breadth of statistics, figures and hard data on the...

Data security procedures are being put to the test in an extensive study from the National Association for Information Destruction. Researchers are examining 250 pieces of recovered electronic equipment, including conventional hard drives and solid-state drives, the association noted in a release. They'll be looking to see if any sensitive data remains. The concept of doing random testing of information destruction technology for...

EPS packaging will be replaced by fiber-based alternatives for Ikea's ready-to-assemble furniture. While the retailer cites environmental friendliness as its goal with the change, not everyone is thrilled to hear the news. "It is commonplace for corporations to link eco-advancements directly to the elimination of plastic, often in the name of unfounded environmental responsibility," the EPS Industry Alliance, which advocates on...

Research in the U.K. shows that uncertainty over recyclability of plastic products continues to prevent higher recovery rates among the general public. A survey of United Kingdom residents, conducted by research and consulting organization RECOUP (Recycling of Used Plastics) last summer, included both online and in-person components. The surveys were conducted as part of the Pledge 4 Plastics initiative. The...

Last year closed with record-setting numbers for battery collection and recycling in North America, according to stewardship group Call2Recycle. The latest figures, released by the organization last week, indicate the continuance of a trend: Each of the past 20 years have surpassed the preceding year in collections of rechargeable and single-use batteries. Last year marked a 12 percent increase over...