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E-scrap facilities reported more fires in 2023

Published: March 21, 2024
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Fire Rover’s annual report found that fires that affected e-scrap facilities and drew news media coverage rose in 2023, bucking the overall trend of fewer fires across facility types. | Piotr Zajda/Shutterstock

Nine major fires were publicly reported at electronics recycling facilities in the U.S. and Canada last year, up from five the year before, according to an annual review of media coverage conducted by fire protection firm Fire Rover. Continue Reading

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UN issues ‘immediate call’ for greater e-scrap recovery

Published: March 21, 2024
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The U.N.’s fourth Global E-Waste Monitor report estimated 62 million metric tons of end-of-life electronics and electrical appliances were generated in 2022, of which 22.3% were recycled through formal collection systems. | SAPhotog/Shutterstock

A global analysis from the United Nations found that electronics and electrical equipment are reaching end of life at a quantity and speed that is far outpacing the recycling sector’s capacity to collect and process that material. Still, the global collection rate is on the rise. Continue Reading

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Battery fires burn ‘really fast’ and ‘really hot’

Published: March 21, 2024
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Vinod Singh of Far West Recycling speaks during an Association of Oregon Recyclers presentation on recycling facility battery fires in February. | Dan Holtmeyer/Resource Recycling

At a Portland, Oregon-area transfer station, site superintendent Matt Tracy has noticed smaller lithium-ion batteries often behave like fireworks when they go into thermal runaway: They move erratically and can even become projectiles. Continue Reading

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Federal program seeks to ‘defragment’ e-scrap sector

Published: March 14, 2024
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The U.S. Department of Energy’s Electronics Scrap Materials Recycling Prize is a multi-phase competition for a range of electronics recycling industry players. | Morten B/Shutterstock

A technology manager with the U.S. Department of Energy said improving e-scrap management fits squarely within the federal government’s material sourcing and climate goals. That’s why the agency has launched a new funding and technical assistance opportunity targeting electronics recovery. Continue Reading

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ITAD report ranks companies’ marketing results

Published: March 14, 2024
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ITAD research and advising firm Compliance Standards shared the first edition of its ITAD Marketing Leadership Tracker. | NicoElNino/Shutterstock

Which processor has the most aggressive marketing campaign? Who is getting the most traffic from search engine results? How is the overall ITAD industry faring in site visits? An analysis from Compliance Standards has the answers. Continue Reading

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Expert prediction: Right to repair will be popular in 2023

Published: January 4, 2023
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N.Y. governor Hochul at a podium, speaking at an event.

Many of the exclusions in New York’s bill, which include motor vehicles, power tools, farm equipment and medical devices, were added after the bill hit Gov. Kathy Hochul’s desk. | lev radin/Shutterstock

New York was the first state to turn a digital right-to-repair bill into law and industry experts say it will certainly not be the last, though they hope future bills will be stronger. 

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Component values sting Iron Mountain’s ITAD revenue

Published: March 7, 2024
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Iron Mountain truck.

Iron Mountain reported $5.48 billion in full-year revenue for 2023, up 7% year over year, but its net income dropped 67%. | Bandersnatch/Shutterstock

Data management firm Iron Mountain reported a 67% decrease in income in 2023 compared to the prior year, largely because of macroeconomic forces but also due to lower resale market prices. Company executives said they’re optimistic about the company’s growing ITAD operations, however.

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A new ITAD firm starts up in Texas

Published: March 7, 2024
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eCircular’s 38,000-square-foot facility has a processing target of about 50,000 units per month. | Courtesy eCircular

Led by a team that includes industry veterans, Houston, Texas-based ITAD firm eCircular announced its official launch on Feb. 28. A company leader says the venture will be able to fill an underserved portion of the ITAD market and help other processors as well.

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Oregon sends broad right-to-repair bill to governor

Published: March 7, 2024
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SB 1596 excludes motor vehicles, off-road vehicles, farming equipment, medical devices, HVAC systems, solar panels or solar energy storage systems, video game consoles, electrical energy storage systems or electric toothbrushes. | bobpool/Shutterstock

A bill to ensure that consumers have the right to repair most electronics and appliances is on its way to the desk of Oregon’s governor.

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