Recycle Technologies processes a variety of electronics and lightbulbs at its two facilities. | Plus69/Shutterstock
After Recycle Technologies changed hands earlier this year, Lydia Keith began leading the Minnesota-based processor. She’s an industry newcomer who has spent much of her professional life in theater, which gives her a unique view of the sector.
Bronte and Dominique, two consumers who in “Silicon Mountain” are tasked with trying to replace the batteries in their smartphones.
With export scandals, CRT stockpiles and more, the electronics recycling industry has suffered its share of image bruises. A short film being launched by an ERP vendor, however, casts a far more pleasant glow on the business of electronics recovery.
The panel discussion included (clockwise from top left) Traci Phillips of Natural Evolution, Jason Linnell from the National Center for Electronics Recycling, E-Scrap News editor Dan Leif (moderator), S3 Recycling Solutions’ Rod McDaniel, and Jessica Miller of Illinois EPA.
Processors and state programs alike saw a lot less material this spring as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. But in the last couple months, inbound volumes have returned and surged in some cases. That fact has created new challenges.
Researchers found that mobile shredding of hard drives and other small electronics exposes workers to airborne and surface metals dust, as is the case with in-plant shredding. | Huguette Roe/Shutterstock
Researchers have discovered that shredding e-scrap materials in trucks may expose employees to as much toxic metal dust as in-plant shredding, but mobile workers may not be as protected as their plant-based counterparts.
Li-Cycle Incorporated recently announced plans for a Rochester, N.Y. facility capable of processing at least 10 million pounds of lithium-ion batteries per year. | Vietnam stock photos/Shutterstock
Canadian firm Li-Cycle Incorporated, which handles lithium-ion batteries from e-scrap and other sources, is developing a $175 million processing hub in the U.S.
Urban Mining Co. operates a magnet recovery facility just south of Austin. | Courtesy of Urban Mining Co.
Urban Mining Co., which uses an innovative process to recycle rare earth magnets, has received financial backing as part of the U.S. response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Electronics recycling company CompuPoint USA will collect, ship and recycle CRT material from abandoned Closed Loop sites as part of a court settlement. | Oleksandr_Delyk/Shutterstock
An e-scrap company will take back and recycle the millions of pounds of CRT materials that it originally shipped to Closed Loop Refining and Recovery, under a recently disclosed settlement agreement.
A number of research projects looking into metal recovery from circuit boards received funding recently. | Borhax/Shutterstock
Research focused on recovering precious metals from printed circuit boards received funding from the REMADE Institute. Meanwhile, the organization will provide up to $35 million for its next round of grants.