Colin Staub is a reporter at Resource Recycling. He can be contacted at [email protected].
A county collection program servicing 223,000 single-family households is rolling out on-demand curbside electronics and battery collection accepting virtually all types of e-scrap. | Photo courtesy Montgomery County Department of Environment Protection
By creatively utilizing existing collection infrastructure, a county government in Maryland is rolling out curbside electronics and battery collection for all electronics at no additional cost. Continue Reading
Hard drives provide one source of rare earth elements in the end-of-life electronics stream. | Kazu326/Shutterstock
As rare earth elements draw mainstream headlines for their entanglement in the U.S.-China trade war, recent announcements from an ITAD operator, an OEM and a magnet processor indicate the domestic end-of-life device stream is increasingly providing feedstock for rare earth end users. Continue Reading
Smartphones and laptops are exempt from U.S. tariffs targeting Chinese imports, but other goods are currently subject to 145% in duties. | Metamorworks/Shutterstock
Country-specific reciprocal tariffs have been pushed out until July, but a universal base rate tariff rolled out last week, which covers all countries, and earlier metals tariffs remain in effect. Meanwhile, an all-out trade war between the U.S. and China is intensifying. Continue Reading
China dominates the global production of rare earth elements, and the U.S. wants to find ways to change that. | RHJ Photo and Illustration/Shutterstock
The White House this week issued an executive order directing the Department of Commerce to explore the effects of critical mineral imports on national security. Among other points, it calls for the agency to explore policies boosting recycling of minerals like cobalt, nickel, aluminum and palladium, as well as the 17 rare earth elements. Continue Reading
The Refurb Company provides a variety of stick-on products that can be applied during the refurbishment process to upgrade the cosmetics of a well-worn device. | Photo courtesy The Refurb Company
A company providing parts to refurbishers that increase used device value and marketability has opened a U.S. location in partnership with a domestic IT asset disposition firm, representing what company leaders say is a push to localize all aspects of the refurbishment process. Continue Reading
CEAR in 2024 processed 12 million pounds of electronics at its electronics recycling facility in the Sacramento area. | Photo courtesy CEAR
Longtime e-scrap and IT asset disposition firm CEAR has received an investment from a Texas-based capital firm, priming the ITAD operation for future growth. Continue Reading
Com2 is shredding and sorting e-plastics at its Carol Stream plant in Illinois. | Photo courtesy Com2 Recycling Solutions
North American e-scrap processor Com2 began processing e-plastics in-house at the beginning of the year after global regulations on material movement challenged longstanding export pathways. Continue Reading
Camston Wrather owes creditors more than $100 million, according to the bankruptcy trustee. | Photo Lab/Shutterstock
The trustee overseeing circuit board processor Camston Wrather’s bankruptcy has asked the court to dismiss the case altogether, saying that no buyers are interested in a full-facility sale, cash reserves are drying up fast, and parting it out for specific equipment sales will not provide meaningful recovery for creditors. Continue Reading
Electronics recycling facility fires have fluctuated widely over the years, but 2024 brought a new high, according to one tally. | PK Studio/Shutterstock
There were 14 publicly reported fires at North American electronics recycling facilities in 2024, representing a 56% increase over the prior year, according to an annual review by fire detection equipment supplier Fire Rover. It’s the highest yearly figure since the company began tracking fire statistics. Continue Reading
The visit marked ReMA’s first fly-in since rebranding with a focus on recycled material outputs rather than the scrap input. | Bill Perry/Shutterstock
Members of the Recycled Materials Association’s electronics division were on-site for the group’s recent Capitol Hill visit, where they told lawmakers how tariffs will affect electronics recovery and emphasized the importance of priority legislation. Continue Reading