Jim Levine, Regency Technologies

We’re less than a month away from this year’s E-Scrap Conference, which will be held in Orlando, Fla. To help get readers jazzed, we’re offering Meet the Speakers interviews with a few of the industry leaders set to take the stage.

This week, we talk with Jim Levine, owner and CEO of Regency Technologies. Levine will speak on a plenary session panel entitled “How to Optimize Commodities Recovery.”

What are some major points you plan to touch on with regard to the role of recycling in the future of managing end-of-life electronics?

As material composition and relative values of electronics (commodities) continue to evolve and change, recyclers will be faced with choices to make with regard to how material is processed as well as the need to address the economic modeling to provide the service in a safe and sustainable manner.

Reuse will also continue to play a significant role in the ecosystem – whole devices and parts

Are there any ways in which electronics recycling will need to change to thrive?

Again, the supply chain will evolve and be what it is. The role of recycling is to be at the front edge of end of life to figure out the best way to navigate. One of the most exciting parts of electronics recycling is seeing all of the change and trying to figure out the “best” methods. Therein also lies the challenge. Unlike traditional metals recycling models, electronics change at such a fast rate that the norm becomes managing exceptions. To be successful, a company will need to be able to adapt to changes quickly – easier said than done.

What do you see as the next particularly challenging device for electronics recycling companies to handle?

Anything (and everything) with batteries. There seem to be new chemistries being developed every day and there are multiple ways that they have to be dealt with. It affects every aspect of the business from operations, downstream, environmental health and safety, logistics, insurance, reuse, etc. … They are here, growing, challenging and need to get handled.

Levine will be joined by Kevin Dillon of ERI and Neil Peters-Michaud of Cascade Asset Management in a plenary session titled “How to Optimize Commodities Recovery,” which will be held Wednesday, Sept. 20.

E-Scrap 2017 is set for Sept. 18-20 at the Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate, Orlando, Florida. Last year’s conference welcomed more than 1,250 attendees from 48 states, seven Canadian provinces and 38 countries, and the trade show featured 130 exhibitors.