New York City has “indefinitely suspended” its curbside e-scrap collection program, a move expected to save the city about $3.4 million a year.
New York City has “indefinitely suspended” its curbside e-scrap collection program, a move expected to save the city about $3.4 million a year.
Electronics recycling firms and other processors across the country are looking to a federal assistance program to help them overcome cash-flow problems sparked by the coronavirus. Some have been successful, but others are running into banking complexities and tapped-out funding.
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted worldwide supply and demand for new PCs, bringing both bad and good news for computer recyclers and refurbishers, according to Gartner.
Circuit board processor EnviroLeach is gearing up to bring its Canadian facility to commercial-scale capacity in the next two months. The company recently raised significant capital to help in that effort.
At enterprises across North America, IT asset refresh projects are no longer a top priority. That has meant major volume drops for material processors, as well as painful staffing cuts in some cases.
Japan’s Mitsubishi Materials is planning to invest over $100 million to boost its global e-scrap processing footprint.
Canada-based EnviroLeach is planning to open a processing facility that will use a non-toxic water-based formula to recover precious metals.
The coronavirus pandemic has led to major reductions in the collection of used consumer electronics across North America, with some e-scrap companies reporting volume drops up to 80%.
E-scrap and ITAD processors nationwide are disinfecting surfaces, changing work stations, modifying the ways they take in material, and more. The goal is to limit employees’ potential contact with the coronavirus.
E-scrap and ITAD operations are largely falling into the category of essential services amid the coronavirus pandemic. Although that doesn’t mean smooth sailing, it allows recycling facilities to stay open alongside other critical industries.