An environmental nonprofit group teams with iFixit to assess how electronics brands are doing when it comes to creating repairable products. And grant money is on the table for e-scrap collection efforts in one state.
Breaking down repairability: Greenpeace and electronics repair hub iFixit have released a report looking at the repairability of mobile devices and laptops from major consumer electronics brands. Some major OEMs including Apple and Samsung got criticized in the findings.
Empire State assistance: Municipal governments in New York are eligible for grants to help with the unanticipated costs of e-scrap collection and recycling. According to the Department of Environmental Conservation, about $1.7 million remains out of the $3 million made available during the 2016-2017 fiscal year, and applications will be accepted through January 2018.
Drop-off dump: Bulky TVs and other end-of-life electronics piled up at a clothing-only drop-off site in Pennsylvania have the caught the attention of nearby residents – and a local TV news team. Pittsburgh-based TV channel WPXI reports that the e-scrap dumping in Greensburg, Pa. comes in the wake of a fire at a local recycling company that formerly collected the material.
Emirate insight: The National, a news publication in the United Arab Emirates, recently outlined electronics recycling business opportunities in the Middle Eastern nation. The report notes that one Dubai-based waste management firm has seen the percentage of electronics in its overall waste collection stream grow five-fold in the last five years.