Whistleblowers are invited to report a variety of poor recycling practices in the e-scrap industry. | GaudiLab/Shutterstock
The Basel Action Network this week rolled out a confidential reporting website seeking to make it easier for observers to report poor e-scrap management practices, such as questionable exports of devices and e-plastics, data security lapses and problematic storage or disposal. Continue Reading
Samsung has collected 13.9 billion pounds of e-scrap since 2009. | MilsiArt/Shutterstock
Samsung collected 1.3 billion pounds of end-of-life electronics last year, its largest ever single-year global collection figure. Continue Reading
There were more than 20 right-to-repair bills introduced this year. So far, 11 have failed, eight are still active and three passed. | Prostock Studio/Shutterstock
Legislative sessions are winding down for the summer. Some bills covering electronics and batteries made it across the finish line this year, while others stalled out. Here’s a roundup of what happened. Continue Reading
Call2Recycle Canada has recycled almost 100 million pounds of batteries since it formed in 1997. | Melnikov Dmitriy/Shutterstock
Call2Recycle Canada recycled nearly 13.2 million pounds of batteries in 2023, its best year yet, the organization recently announced. Continue Reading
Coming from inside the ranks of the state agency, Zoe Heller was appointed director of the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery. | Rarrarorro/Shutterstock
California’s sizable waste reduction and recycling agency has a new leader in Zoe Heller, who was recently appointed director of the California Department of Resources, Recycling and Recovery. Industry leaders praised her integrity, thoughtfulness and collaboration skills. Continue Reading
Government officials detained 301 containers and found 106 contained e-scrap shipped from Los Angeles. | Peresanz/Shutterstock
The Malaysian government inspected more than 300 shipping containers and found that about one-third contained e-scrap illegally imported from the U.S., officials said during a June 26 press conference in Klang, Malaysia. Continue Reading
Cascade’s sales volumes increased while revenues fell due to lower resale pricing in the year. | Andras Csontos/Shutterstock
Retail sales of IT assets refurbished by Cascade Asset Management grew in volume in 2023 while revenue declined, according to the company’s annual report. Continue Reading
E-scrap compensation could help reshape value chains globally, a new report from Footprints Africa suggested. | Media Lens King/Shutterstock
More compensation for e-scrap could help create a circular economy for electronics in Africa, but significant barriers remain, according to Footprints Africa. Continue Reading
Bloom ESG experts say that in order to differentiate and win more business, e-scrap recyclers must capitalize on the low-carbon and circular economy. | Chayanuphol/Shutterstock
Waste processing has been a commodity business since its inception as well as a traditionally circular economy. That has only been intensified by the mass adoption of electronic devices in the 20th century, so the e-scrap recycling sector is well poised to capitalize on environmental, social and governance priorities to differentiate leaders from laggards when it comes to providing not only a circular economy service but one at the lowest carbon intensity. Continue Reading
In the collaboration between multiple Austrian research universities, researchers tested a two-stage bacterial process for recovering both common metals and rare earths from the shredded e-scrap stream. | Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock
A team of Austrian researchers have developed what they describe as a “cost-effective” and non-polluting method to recover rare earth metals from electronics, and so far, they’ve achieved recovery rates of up to 85% from the e-scrap stream. Continue Reading