Greenpeace targets smartphones in a new report, and a workplace chemical exposure rule may be delayed due to a White House directive.
Device demand drops: Worldwide shipments of new personal computing devices, including PCs and tablets, are expected to decline, according to a new forecast by the International Data Corporation. After posting figures indicating 435 million units were shipped in 2016, IDC estimates a decline to 418.2 million units in 2021.
Charge to discard: A popular electronics collection event will return this year in Illinois, but for the first time residents must pay $10 to recycle their CRT TVs and monitors. The Herald-Review newspaper writes that officials say the charge will not cover the entire cost of recycling the devices, but it will help offset the cost burden to the local government.
The saga continues: Controversy over a cancelled e-scrap recycling program continues in Casper, Wyo. as the city’s mayor changes her mind and says she now favors having the city council visit the program’s future. The Star-Tribune newspaper reports the mayor was previously the tiebreaker when she voted not to reconsider the city council’s decision to end the recycling program due to its cost.
ITAD increase: The IT asset disposition (ITAD) industry is forecast to experience nearly 10 percent average annual market growth each year through 2022. According to research by ReportLinker, the growth will be driven by increasing public awareness of harmful e-scrap processing, more government legislation requiring ITAD processes and more need for secure handling of confidential data.
Smartphones under fire: Greenpeace is taking on smartphone waste and urging manufacturers to embrace a circular production model. A new report by the activist environmental organization examines the environmental impact of the 7.1 billion smartphones manufactured in the past decade.
R2 consultants: Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI), which manages the R2 electronics recycling standard, has begun listing consultants who have completed R2 Lead Auditor Training and have passed the final exam. SERI explains it is not endorsing the consultants but is listing them for recycling companies that want to hire a consultant who has passed the training course.
Delayed regulation: A rule to limit workplace beryllium exposure, which affects some e-scrap companies, may be delayed following a White House directive. According to a press release, the U.S. Department of Labor is proposing to delay the beryllium rule two months due to a Jan. 20 White House memorandum, which asked for a review of all the department’s new or pending regulations.
