Scrap plastic traders are facing challenges from increased freight rates and cancellations of bookings by shipping lines as Basel regulations are implemented. | Mariusz Bugno/Shutterstock
Recent changes to global regulations on scrap plastic shipments have shaken up the export market for plastics recovered from electronics.
As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolded in March, Best Buy and others halted e-scrap collection. | LukeandKarla.Travel/Shutterstock
Certainly, the past year has been one like no other. And in the electronics recycling and ITAD industry, the global pandemic was just one of many developments shaping business conditions. Legal tussles, issues around low-value materials, and commodity market volatility were all e-scrap industry realities in 2020 as well.
Ingram Micro’s new ITAD operation in Mexico was built inside of a 120,000-square-foot distribution warehouse. | Courtesy of Ingram Micro.
Many companies in the ITAD sector are searching for the best way to expand into international markets. For Ingram Micro, the playbook is clear: Follow the flow of new hardware.
Apple’s battery-throttling controversy has helped fuel right-to-repair conversations.| Attila Fodemesi/Shutterstock
Apple has agreed to settle allegations that the company concealed iPhone battery problems rather than informing customers or replacing the batteries.
Walgreens recently agreed to pay $3.50 million to settle a lawsuit alleging company employees dropped electronics, batteries and other hazardous materials into dumpsters headed to municipal landfills. | Sundry Photography/Shutterstock
Retailers in recent months have agreed to pay over $8 million to settle accusations they illegally landfilled electronics and other hazardous waste in California. In one case, trashed e-scrap was suspected to have ignited two fires.
With a capacity of 6,000 pounds per hour, URT’s system was designed to handle the amount of shredded e-plastic generated in URT’s Janesville, Wis. plant on a single shift. | Courtesy of URT.
URT has installed equipment at its Wisconsin headquarters allowing the company to produce clean e-plastic fractions for sale to domestic buyers.
The Small Business Administration recently disclosed detailed information on all recipients of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds through Nov. 24, 2020. | NIKCOA/Shutterstock
The federal government has released details on all Paycheck Protection Program loan recipients, allowing E-Scrap News to chart the money’s impact on the electronics recycling industry.
Beverly Hills, Calif.-headquartered Platinum Equity purchased Ingram Micro for about $1.2 billion more than it sold for in 2016. | YuRi Photolife/Shutterstock
Electronics distributing giant Ingram Micro will be acquired by Platinum Equity, but the company does not anticipate significant changes to its ITAD division.
A sample of a drilled drive with the internal circuit board still intact. | Courtesy of CyberCrunch
Some analysts predict copper prices will increase close to their 2011 record, when the metal was trading for more than $4.50 per pound. | Syafiq Adnan/Shutterstock
Prices for a major metal found in the electronics recycling stream have climbed high in recent weeks, largely driven by China’s economic recovery following its COVID-19 lockdown.