E-Scrap News magazine is the premier trade journal for electronics recycling and refurbishment experts. It offers updates on the latest equipment and technology, details trends in electronics recycling legislation, highlights the work of innovative processors, and covers all the other critical industry news.
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Battery fires are an increasingly relevant concern for electronics recycling facilities. | zeyaman/Shutterstock
A recently published guidance document helps recycling facilities draft plans to avert and mitigate fires.
Leaders at both R2 and e-Stewards cited safety concerns for recycling and refurbishing operations as well as the auditors that visit them. | Courtesy R2 Corporation
The administrators of e-scrap standards are adjusting auditing and certification procedures in response to the global coronavirus pandemic. R2 and e-Stewards both published guidance on the temporary policies this week.
EPA alleged AERC was out of compliance with the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), which governs hazardous waste management. | JHVEPhoto/Shutterstock
An e-scrap company must pay a $10,000 fine and hold one or more collection events costing $40,000, as part of a settlement with regulators.
Repair resource company iFixit has launched an effort to crowdsource repair information for key medical devices. | egyjanek/Shutterstock
Usually busy helping people fix their consumer gadgets, iFixit has turned its attention to the emerging need to maintain and repair hospital equipment.
ITAD company EPC reported a sharp increase in demand for notebook, tablet and desktop PCs throughout the U.S. and Canada as the need to work from home grows. | Sally B/Shutterstock
Processors across the U.S. say the coronavirus and resulting work-from-home orders have energized the market for refurbished electronics. In some cases, they can’t keep up with the needs of customers.
Best Buy on March 22 announced its retail stores would close to the public and temporarily suspend recycling activities. | LukeandKarla.Travel/Shutterstock
Citing concerns over COVID-19, a major retailer, the largest U.S. city and a handful of other electronics recycling collection channels have paused services.
E-scrap processors report coronavirus-driven disruptions both with vendors and customers. | joshimerbin/Shutterstock
The global escalation of COVID-19 is causing supplier and customer disruption for e-scrap processors, while on a wider scale it constrains global shipping, dents stock prices and threatens an economic recession.
Business challenges related to the wider market are likely to pop up again and again in the coming months. | Poring Studio/Shutterstock
The cause of the fire had not been determined and remains under investigation. | Torychemistry/Shutterstock
E-scrap processor Interco Trading says it’s open and operating normally after a large fire broke out in one of its warehouses last week.