Associate Editor Jared Paben has worked for Resource Recycling since December 2014. Most of his earlier career was spent as a reporter for the daily newspaper in Bellingham, Wash., but he also has experience working for the Oregon volunteerism commission and for Oregon nonprofits serving low-income populations. He can be contacted at [email protected].
Research from S&P Global found a push toward clean energy sources will drive total demand for copper from 25 million metric tons today to about 50 million metric tons by 2035. | Flegere/Shutterstock
Electrification is going to require huge amounts of copper in the coming decades, so much so that boosting mining, recycling and materials substitution together won’t be enough to meet demand, according to a study.
Global metals player JX Nippon has purchased Canadian e-scrap processor eCycle Solutions. | IgorGolovniov/Shutterstock
Japanese company JX Nippon Mining and Metals has purchased one of Canada’s largest e-scrap companies, eCycle Solutions. It’s the second example in the past month of an Asian smelting giant acquiring North American e-scrap operations to ensure a steady supply of feedstock.
New battery recycling guidelines are in development by the U.S. EPA. | Courtesy of Call2Recycle
Congress directed the U.S. EPA to develop voluntary battery recycling labeling guidelines instead of mandatory regulations, but the head of an industry group believes they’ll still have a significant impact on the industry.
A Canadian survey found computers, TVs and cell phones were the three most common types of electronics households had to dispose of. | Valeri Potapova/Shutterstock
Canadian authorities say the percentage of households disposing of unwanted computers, printers, TVs, audio/visual equipment and cell phones continued to drop last year.
An official with the California Department of Toxic Substances Control said the department is too understaffed to conduct inspections of all rage rooms to ensure they are not breaking toxic items. | correct pictures/Shutterstock
In at least two instances, California authorities have brought the hammer down on rage room operators for allowing patrons to destroy electronics and release toxic metals into the air.
A form of therapy that encourages destruction is generating a little more demand for used electronics and a greater supply of broken scrap.
Program officials pointed to a 21% year-over-year reduction in total TV drop-offs, as well as a shift from CRTs to flat-screen TVs in the end-of-life stream. | James Meyer/Shutterstock
The city of Milwaukee collected 14% less e-scrap at its drop-off centers last year than the year before, marking the continuation of a trend of falling collection weights.
Researchers will target minerals typically lost in current recovery processes. | Huguette Roe/Shutterstock
Three teams have been selected for a U.S. military project to develop technologies for recovering critical metals found in low volumes in e-scrap.
Several supply chain squeezes could mean e-scrap recyclers and ITAD companies face a reduction in available equipment to process. | Fedor Sidorov/Shutterstock
Shipments of new PCs tumbled during the second quarter, according to market research firm Gartner. That could reflect a slowdown in computer replacement cycles, meaning decreased supply available for ITAD and e-scrap companies. Continue Reading
A Chicago-based metals company will open a new e-scrap facility near its headquarters. | Petra Nowack/Shutterstock
E-scrap processor Elgin Recycling has signed a lease to expand into a nearly 64,000-square-foot facility in the Chicago suburbs. Continue Reading