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Author Archives: Marissa Heffernan

About Marissa Heffernan

Marissa HeffernanMarissa Heffernan started working for Resource Recycling in January 2022 after spending several years as a reporter at a daily newspaper in Southwest Washington. She can be contacted at [email protected].

Oregon electronics right-to-repair bill in the works again

Published: January 19, 2023
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A smartphone being repaired with tools.

Oregon’s proposed bill would mandate access to schematics, tools and parts at a fair and reasonable cost and cover any household product – from computers to appliances – that contains digital components. | Alexey Kabanov/Shutterstock

Supporters of the right to repair consumer electronics are hoping that the third time’s the charm in Oregon.

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RecycleForce, Keybank team up on financial wellness

Published: January 19, 2023
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Architect rendering of the upcoming RecycleForce facility.

KeyBank has provided money for dedicated space and equipment to teach financial wellness classes at RecycleForce’s new headquarters, which is under construction in Indianapolis. | Courtesy of RecycleForce

RecycleForce’s upcoming Indiana headquarters will provide not only training in e-scrap recycling but a dedicated space for financial wellness lessons, with help from KeyBank. 

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Rare earth magnet recycling ramps up in Texas

Published: January 11, 2023
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Noveon’s EcoFlux magnet requires 20% less material than traditionally produced magnets and requires 10% less energy to manufacture. | Courtesy of Noveon

When the founders of Noveon decided to tackle rare earth magnet recycling, they started at the beginning of the product’s life cycle instead of the end. 

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Computer resellers expect sluggish markets in 2023

Published: January 11, 2023
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Stacked laptops for reuse and recycling against a white background.

 ITAD service providers saw used equipment prices skyrocket during the pandemic; now they have to reckon with a market leveling out at lower values amid recession worries. | Ari N/Shutterstock

Prices for refurbished PCs have fallen in the past year alongside ongoing uncertainty in the economy, but ITAD players said the market appears to have leveled off – for now.

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Few EU member states hit collection targets

Published: January 4, 2023
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Laptops gathered for repair or recycling.

A study from the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) found that e-scrap generated annually in Europe increased by 2.1 million metric tons between 2010 and 2021. | ThamKC/Shutterstock

A report from the United Nations on the European Union found that very few member countries are achieving their e-scrap recycling targets.

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Retailer to pay $2M for improper e-scrap disposal

Published: December 14, 2022
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TJ Maxx store exterior and parking lot in Palm Desert, Calif.

TJX owns approximately 340 T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods stores in California. | Idealphotographer/Shutterstock

The Massachusetts-based parent company of T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods was ordered by a judge to pay $2.05 million for unlawful disposal of e-scrap, batteries and other hazardous waste in California.

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SERI clarifies standard on smart device data sanitization

Published: December 14, 2022
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Person using a worn fitness tracker.

Devices covered by the recently released interpretation include smart TVs, smart watches, fitness trackers and IP-connected home security devices. | Maridav/Shutterstock

A formal interpretation of the R2v3 standard aims to help certified facilities deal with smart devices that pose unique data sanitization challenges.

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E-scrap firm fined for battery fires

Published: December 7, 2022
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Closeup of a lithium-ion battery.

iDiskk principals Yue Zou and Lei Zhang agreed to pay a fine after the company improperly disposed of lithium-ion batteries from electronics. | XH2/Shutterstock

Improper disposal of lithium-ion batteries led to a $25,000 fine for a California recycling company after the batteries sparked several garbage truck fires. 

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