Colin Staub is a reporter at Resource Recycling. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Closed Loop Partners invested in nationwide electronics recycling company ERI. | Candyclub / Shutterstock
ERI this week received private equity funding from investment firm Closed Loop Partners. ERI’s chairman says the capital will help the processor deploy advanced processing equipment at its facilities.
Microsoft declined to comment on the shareholder resolution, but a company spokesperson pointed to Microsoft’s Devices Sustainability Report for the 2020 fiscal year.| Eric Glenn / Shutterstock
An advocacy group filed a shareholder resolution requesting that Microsoft study the impacts of making repair resources readily available to the public. The company hasn’t commented, but it referenced its existing efforts in the field of repair.
Researchers pointed to targeted subsidies and higher penalties for fraud as things that could potentially solve the problem of dishonest recycling. | Gwoeii / Shutterstock
Cost is the main factor contributing to fraudulent recycling activities, researchers recently reported. They say improving the financial equation for e-scrap processors and raising the penalties for bad actors could reduce negative practices.
The proposed bill covers TVs, computers, laptops, printers and a handful of additional devices. | Ronald Rampsch / Shutterstock
Legislation introduced in the Bay State establishes extended producer responsibility for end-of-life consumer electronics. In prior years, similar proposals have failed to move forward.
The executive action comes during a time of ramped-up activity in the right-to-repair realm. | Sean Pavone / Shutterstock
The White House is encouraging federal regulators to protect independent repair of consumer electronics, agricultural equipment and more, according to an executive order issued Friday.
Cumulatively, Samsung has collected 10 billion pounds of e-scrap since 2009, according to a recent company report. | OleksSH / Shutterstock
A major OEM increased the weight of e-scrap it collected in 2020, according to its latest sustainability report.
Proposed national legislation follows a flurry of state right-to-repair bills that were introduced this year. | EQRoy / Shutterstock
A federal lawmaker has introduced legislation requiring electronics manufacturers to provide resources facilitating independent device repair. Repair advocates say it’s the first such bill to hit the national stage.
A White House report emphasizes the importance of recycling in supplying the country with rare earth elements. | kazu326 / Shutterstock
The federal government should encourage design for recyclability in consumer electronics and support technologies that recover rare earth magnets from hard drives, according to a report from the Biden administration.
The New York Senate approved right-to-repair legislation on the same day the state’s legislative session concluded. | Harold Stiver / Shutterstock
The New York State Senate this month voted in favor of legislation providing public access to electronic device repair tools and resources. A tight legislative timeline meant it didn’t advance further, but repair advocates called it a milestone achievement.
The World Health Organization’s report noted more than 1,000 harmful substances can be released during informal processing of e-scrap. | Chaikom / Shutterstock
The World Health Organization recently examined the health risks associated with informal e-scrap processing, particularly the dangers for children and expecting mothers. The report calls for “binding action” by e-scrap exporters and other stakeholders to ensure proper management.