The California Public Interest Research Group found in a public opinion survey that 75% of Californians support laws that expand the right to repair, including 76.64% of Democrats, 61.36% of Republicans and 81.97% of independents.
Call2Recycle released data from its 2021 battery collections report, finding that more than 8.1 million pounds of consumer batteries were collected in the United States for recycling, 3.2% lower than in 2020. There was also a 12.3% increase in lithium-ion collections, which drove an overall 5% increase in total rechargeable collections.
Certification program e-Stewards announced it will allow the Recycling Industry Operating Standard (RIOS) to be used as an acceptable environmental management system (EMS) standard, adding another option beside the current ISO14001 EMS standard.
The owner of Firestone will pay $4 million to settle allegations that California locations illegally trashed electronics, batteries, automotive fluids and other hazardous materials. Other stores have faced similar allegations and settlements in recent years in California.
Video game company Valve chose iFixit to be its authorized seller of replacement parts for its handheld gaming Steam Deck, though the details are still being worked out.
Medical equipment company Philips issued its sustainability report for 2021, finding that Philips put an estimated 73,500 metric tons of products on the market and about 8% of that, or 6,000 metric tons, was collected, re-used or recycled globally.
The U.S. Department of Energy announced it will spend nearly $3 billion on battery production and recycling plants and technologies to boost domestic manufacturing of the batteries, which are a vital part of federal plans to grow clean energy industries.
