Colin Staub is a reporter at Resource Recycling. He can be contacted at colin@resource-recycling.com.
The research project focused on recovering cobalt, tantalum, neodymium, tungsten and gallium, materials that were chosen due to their relative scarcity and cost. | Courtesy of the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology.
A four-year research project has developed an automated system that uses lasers to identify and remove components while dismantling electronics.
The Coalition for American Electronics Recycling is calling for a change to Executive Order 12999, which directs federal agencies to distribute retired assets to nonprofit organizations for refurbishment and distribution to schools. | Fedor Sidorov/Shutterstock
A coalition of electronics recycling companies wants to see change in a government rule that prevents federal agencies from distributing surplus IT equipment to for-profit processors.
Many recycling-related organizations have spoken out in the weeks following the May 25 death of George Floyd. | Anton27/Shutterstock
E-scrap processors, ITAD firms, OEMs and other recycling stakeholders are joining the call to oppose racism and work for systemic change.
Shipping company MSC stopped accepting scrap cargo headed to China and Hong Kong as of June 1. | Fomin Roman/Shutterstock
A major shipping line will no longer accept recovered plastic and other scrap material shipments bound for Hong Kong, which remains a large market for U.S. e-plastic.
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal is an international treaty governing how waste is moved around the world. | mayday6510/Shutterstock
Multiple countries are proposing to expand restrictions on the global movement of discarded electronics.
A recent study found thermal events occurring at all stages of the WEEE collection and processing chain. | nongningstudio/Shutterstock
A new report notes more and more fires are breaking out in electronics collection and processing facilities around the world, and experts say damaged batteries are typically the culprit.
Charging documents state that as of November 2016, 5R Processors had accumulated and stored over 8 million pounds of leaded CRT glass across multiple sites. | Valery Evlakhov/Shutterstock
Leaders of a Wisconsin e-scrap processor last month were charged with violating federal regulations covering the storage and transportation of CRT glass. The defendants signed plea deals in the case.
Apple recently won its appeal in a case centered on a repair company’s use of mobile screens that Apple claimed were counterfeit parts. | Vytautas Kielaitis/Shutterstock
Norway’s top court ruled against an independent smartphone repair firm this week, saying the company violated trademark rules by using non-Apple-approved components. It ends a legal saga that repair advocates across the globe have been watching closely.
Leaders with S3 Recycling Solutions said the company was fortunate to have strong cash flow during business slowdowns in April and May. | jannoon028/Shutterstock
Tennessee processor S3 Recycling Solutions is in a period of growth and development, and the company foresees opportunity coming out of the market chaos around COVID-19.
A leader at Sagent explained that the company has seen increased demand for its refurbished IT equipment because of a surge in network activity. | hxdbzxy/Shutterstock
A company involved in data center and wireless provider decommissioning foresees a “new normal” of higher internet traffic after the pandemic ends. That means more equipment in these facilities and more opportunity in retiring those assets.