A county collection program servicing 223,000 single-family households is rolling out on-demand curbside electronics and battery collection accepting virtually all types of e-scrap. | Photo courtesy Montgomery County Department of Environment Protection
By creatively utilizing existing collection infrastructure, a county government in Maryland is rolling out curbside electronics and battery collection for all electronics at no additional cost. Continue Reading
Hard drives provide one source of rare earth elements in the end-of-life electronics stream. | Kazu326/Shutterstock
As rare earth elements draw mainstream headlines for their entanglement in the U.S.-China trade war, recent announcements from an ITAD operator, an OEM and a magnet processor indicate the domestic end-of-life device stream is increasingly providing feedstock for rare earth end users. Continue Reading
Gov. Bob Ferguson has 20 days to sign the bills into law after they are delivered to his desk. | Zack Frank/Shutterstock
A right-to-repair electronics bill is sitting on the Washington governor’s desk, while a bill that would again delay the state’s extended producer responsibility program for solar panels is now law. Continue Reading
Back Market and iFixit announced a broad partnership that will see each integrate the other’s product offerings, as well as direct advocacy on right-to-repair legislation. | Courtesy of Back Market
Two big names in the electronics repair and refurbishment space are partnering up to influence consumer and manufacturer behavior and create a world where circularity is the default. Continue Reading
Smartphones and laptops are exempt from U.S. tariffs targeting Chinese imports, but other goods are currently subject to 145% in duties. | Metamorworks/Shutterstock
Country-specific reciprocal tariffs have been pushed out until July, but a universal base rate tariff rolled out last week, which covers all countries, and earlier metals tariffs remain in effect. Meanwhile, an all-out trade war between the U.S. and China is intensifying. Continue Reading
China dominates the global production of rare earth elements, and the U.S. wants to find ways to change that. | RHJ Photo and Illustration/Shutterstock
The White House this week issued an executive order directing the Department of Commerce to explore the effects of critical mineral imports on national security. Among other points, it calls for the agency to explore policies boosting recycling of minerals like cobalt, nickel, aluminum and palladium, as well as the 17 rare earth elements. Continue Reading
CEAR in 2024 processed 12 million pounds of electronics at its electronics recycling facility in the Sacramento area. | Photo courtesy CEAR
Longtime e-scrap and IT asset disposition firm CEAR has received an investment from a Texas-based capital firm, priming the ITAD operation for future growth. Continue Reading
Li-Cycle announced that without additional funding, it will not be able to continue operations or draw down its federal loan. | T. Schneider/Shutterstock
Facing continuing losses year over year, lithium-ion battery processor Li-Cycle voiced concern in recent SEC filings about its ability to “achieve or sustain profitability” and repay its debts, as it has for several years. Continue Reading
Although on-again, off-again tariffs may exclude resin shipments, market players are seeing no shortage of confusion and consternation. | Avigator Thailand/Shutterstock
After many weeks of shifting narratives and uncertainty, participants in recycled polymer markets are working to navigate a constantly shifting tariff environment, in which buyers and sellers as well as customs officials struggle to align federal mandates with on-the-ground implementation. Continue Reading
The ESG calculator will be co-branded as an e-Stewards and Bloom ESG tool. | SWKStock/Shutterstock
E-scrap certification program e-Stewards endorsed an environmental benefits calculator from Bloom ESG, a London-based advisory firm, that can be used to quantify avoided carbon emissions and other benefits of e-scrap recycling and reuse. Continue Reading