Industry Announcements
E-Scrap News highlights the latest announcements from industry companies and organizations. For information on submitting press releases or contributing op-eds to us, review our FAQ page.
E-Scrap News highlights the latest announcements from industry companies and organizations. For information on submitting press releases or contributing op-eds to us, review our FAQ page.
Advanced Technology Recycling (ATR) purchased two additional Mack semi-trucks.
Greenlyfocus, which provides the Green Tracking Service that uses GPS units to track e-scrap, wrote about what processing facilities should do if they encounter a tracking device.
Industrial Magnetics acquired a majority of the assets of Walker Magnetics Group, a longtime North American industrial magnet manufacturer.
Eriez completed an expansion of its equipment production plant in Erie, Pa.
Microsoft released its first environmental sustainability report, providing updates on goals the company set in early 2020.
PICS Telecom, a reseller of used telecom and data equipment, received Verizon’s global supplier sustainability award for 2020.
Sims Limited, parent company of ITAD firm Sims Lifecycle Services, purchased an aluminum processing operation.
Harsco Corporation announced its Clean Earth division completed the ConstructSecure Independent Safety Assessment Program and received a Gold Safety Award for the Waste Collection trade.
National Battery Day will take place on Feb. 18, highlighting batteries and their proper end-of-life management.
The TCO Certified Edge, E-waste Compensated Program received the Supplier Leadership Award for 2020 from the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council. The program funds e-scrap recycling in developing countries.
Tomra released a case study featuring the Autosort Fines, an optical sorter used by e-scrap processor Premier Surplus to sort circuit boards.
Data erasure products company Blancco announced that Fredrik Forslund, its vice president of Cloud and Data Center Erasure, is the new director of the International Data Sanitization Consortium (IDSC).
ERI appointed cybersecurity expert Kate Fazzini to its board of directors.
Data security industry association i-SIGMA released results of an industry survey related to COVID-19 impacts, nearly one year after pandemic-driven shutdowns began.
TerraCycle Regulated Waste launched a BulkPak Recycling Program, which collects e-scrap, batteries, lamps and other materials on pallets.
Processor Environmental Office Solutions joined both The Repair Association and the mail-in Done with IT collection program managed by The Electronics Reuse & Recycling Alliance (TERRA).
ITAD firm MRK Group of Elgin, Ill. is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
Sunnking raised $11,761 for a local nonprofit organization helping children and families living with cancer.
Repair franchise uBreakiFix reported on its business activities over the past year, including its expansion with 22 new locations in the fourth quarter of 2020.
The European Commision published an article about commission-funded research into metals recovery techniques targeting e-scrap and other streams.
The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) is accepting nominations for its 2021 Design for Recycling Award.
ITAD firm Wisetek appointed David Box as the company’s vice president of product sales.
Asset Science, a diagnostics software platform provider for the secondary phone and tablet markets, appointed Atallah Mourad to the newly created role of general manager.
Salomé Stähli, certification director for e-Stewards, left the organization at the end of 2020. Prema George, a lawyer with experience representing large IT firms, joined the organization as certification director this month.
Lithium-ion battery processor Li-Cycle completed a battery recycling pilot project with bus manufacturer New Flyer.
Dawsonville, Ga.-based Premier Surplus published an article about the processor’s growth and the benefits that came from the installation of a shredding and separation system.
Battery recycling startup Redwood Materials has started accepting scrap electronics and batteries.
U.K. company Restore Technology acquired Computer Disposals Limited (CDL), an IT recycling and data sanitization company also based in the U.K.
In conjunction with the Consumer Electronics Show, Samsung launched an update of its SmartThings program for recycling used Galaxy devices.
Phone and technology buyback site SellCell released a report covering trade-in data over a recent two-year span.
Universal Recycling Technologies (URT) founder Jim Cornwell retired from his position as president, and the e-scrap processor named Ken Thomas, who was vice president of finance, as the new president.
The U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) released a study about much money households can save by repairing instead of replacing old electronics.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources published a podcast exploring the first 10 years of the state’s electronics recycling program.
ERI named Brendan Egan to its board of directors. Egan has worked with ERI since 2013, overseeing marketing and other digital efforts.
IBM announced a collaborative effort to launch the Sustainability Teacher Resources Channel on the Open P-TECH digital learning platform. One course will discuss e-waste management.
Large retailers in the U.K. will be required to provide in-store collection of e-scrap and electrical appliances beginning in January.
Schupan & Sons announced that Johnson Go has joined the company as vice president of supply chain in Schupan’s Materials Trading division.
Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI) hired Ken Boyden as director of development and SERI programs, a new position in the organization. SERI also announced Roger Grieve joined the organization as “R2 Guru,” focusing on awareness, education and implementation of practical aspects of the R2 program.
Cleanlites Recycling experienced a large warehouse fire at its Mason, Mich. recycling facility. A facility on the site was also damaged in a September 2020 fire.
ERI named company co-founder Kevin Dillon to its board of directors.
The Green Electronics Council (GEC) announced it will change its name to the Global Electronics Council in February 2021. The organization also published a report discussing the sustainability of wearable devices, as GEC prepares to create certification criteria for these electronics.
Repair advocacy groups are asking the Librarian of Congress for an allowance to unlock gaming consoles for repair and not have it be a copyright violation. The federal government puts out a call for such exemption requests every three years.
Apple began offering free replacement of faulty iPhone 11 displays within a two-year window, after noting that “a small percentage” of the devices suffer from malfunctioning screens.
The European Parliament approved right-to-repair rules proposed earlier this year by the European Commission, which has taken a strong interest in repair legislation.
Harsco Corporation, which recently bought e-scrap firm Clean Earth, was named to Newsweek’s 2021 list of America’s Most Responsible Companies.
Information security association i-SIGMA published a 2020 “year in review” article.
TCO Development announced a significant increase in the number of notebooks in its certification program, which assesses sustainability metrics in IT equipment.
The Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) appointed Helmut Kolba of e-scrap processor Remondis Electrorecycling as chairman of BIR’s E-Scrap Committee.
Call2Recycle announced Leo Raudys will be the organization’s next CEO and president, effective Jan. 1.
Gannon & Scott was recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Labor as one of 675 recipients of the 2020 HIRE Vets Medallion Award.
Ingram Micro opened an ITAD facility in Mexico City, the 21st processing center in the company’s global network.
Secondary device logistics firm PCS Wireless launched TessaB, a technology company building a blockchain-based marketplace for used phones.
Sage Sustainable Electronics announced it has redirected more than $1 million in certified refurbished electronics to nonprofits and other groups through its GoodTogether program.
Freight forwarder Sealink International added new features for metals recycling companies to its online platform.
The U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG) released “Fixed for the Holidays,” a guide to buying refurbished electronics as gifts.
Processor Echo Environmental was named one of the Top 100 Places to Work in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area by the Dallas Morning News.
Reverse logistics company Hyla Mobile released data on its third-quarter device trade-in activity, listing figures on used Apple Watch values for the first time.
Battery recycling firm Li-Cycle Corp. closed a round of equity funding to finance its upcoming Rochester, N.Y. recycling facility.
Device manufacturer Logitech published its 2020 sustainability report, which includes details on its e-scrap recycling program participation.
Used device retailer reBuy published the results of a study it commissioned about scrap mobile device generation and markets in 27 countries.
Sims Lifecycle Services announced it has joined the Dutch Data Center Association.
ITAD firm Wisetek appointed Bob Truelove as vice president of sales, a position covering the company’s U.S. sales operations.
The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) awarded $97,500 in grant funds to Technology Recyclers for an e-scrap recycling education campaign.
Sims Limited, parent company to Sims Lifecycle Services, announced a series of sustainability goals.
Sunnking announced that Fred Parody, who previously worked at Sims Lifecycle Services and URT, has joined Sunnking’s sales division as its newest ITAD account manager.
Unistar Technologies published a release discussing how the pandemic is impacting technology use in the corporate IT sector.
The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) will add solar panels to its universal waste program, aiming to increase recycling of the materials.
Elanders, an ITAD firm serving clients in Europe and Asia, acquired Swedish IT asset management company Azalea Global IT AB.
The Green Electronics Council and TÜV Rheinland released for public comment draft criteria for environmentally friendly network equipment certification.
Interseroh launched a battery collection and logistics service in Europe, aiming to help manufacturers meet producer-responsibility requirements.
Philips Professional Display Services is offering a free software upgrade for some of its hospitality-sector TVs, aiming to help hotels extend the lifetime of the devices.
Processor R2 Recycling launched a new website.
Sunnking reopened registration for its annual e-Scrap for Camp fundraiser, which had been put on a four-month pause due to COVID-19.
Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI) released a final transition plan for migrating all R2-certified facilities over to the updated R2v3 standard by July 1, 2023. SERI also announced it is looking for new members to fill positions on its Consensus Body and its R2 Technical Advisory Committee.
The Electronics Reuse & Recycling Alliance (TERRA) announced that The Vested Group will serve as the organization’s exclusive enterprise resource planning (ERP) sponsor.
VTech and LeapFrog, companies that design electronic learning devices and toys, launched a recycling program in partnership with TerraCycle.
Apple increased the cost of screen repairs for the base model iPhone 12 compared with the previous generation of the smartphone.
The Coalition for American Electronics Recycling (CAER) praised a report by the U.S. House of Representatives China Task Force, noting its focus on supply chain issues impacting national security. CAER is a proponent of legislation increasing regulation on e-scrap exports.
HP expanded its Planet Partners printing supplies return and recycling program to 68 countries.
The board of directors for information security association i-SIGMA appointed Bowman Richards as chairman of the organization’s complaint resolution council.
PCB processor Itronics announced it has successfully recovered manganese from single-use alkaline batteries, among other sources.
Sunnking postponed an e-scrap collection event after four company employees tested positive for COVID-19.
Global e-scrap and ITAD firm TES acquired the assets of Custom Controllers UK, a repair firm servicing gaming controllers. TES also released its annual sustainability report, indicating that the company processed 154 million pounds of electronics in 2019.
Waste Management handled 18.2 million pounds of e-scrap and lamps in 2019, according to its most recent sustainability report.
Bob Akers, an industry veteran who was most recently the e-Stewards Enterprise director, has joined The Electronics Reuse & Recycling Alliance (TERRA) as its chief industry advisor.
Magnetic separation equipment company Industrial Magnetics, Inc. (IMI) has completed the equipment installation phase of its new recycling test facility in Fort Wayne, Ind.
The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) named Lexmark as the 2020 Design for Recycling Award winner.
IT Asset Management Group (ITAMG) launched ITAMG Cares, a nonprofit organization focused on bridging the digital divide by distributing used computers from large businesses to students in need, primarily in the New York City area.
Machinex will hold a virtual open house to celebrate 50 years in business.
Stena Recycling and Electrolux developed a vacuum cleaner made from 100% recycled and reused materials, including e-plastics.
Waste Reduction Week in Canada took place this week, and Wednesday was focused on e-scrap recycling awareness. As part of the week, the Electronic Products Recycling Association of Québec (EPRA-Québec) worked to raise awareness in the province of over 8.5 million people.
Apple this week released a new 5G-enabled iPhone, which is predicted to garner record sales and could lead to a higher volume of used devices entering the end-of-life stream.
U.K.-based IT service provider Pure Technology Group and processor S2S Group launched an ITAD service called zeroC.
Sims Lifecycle Services published its annual report, covering the company’s 2020 fiscal year financials and other significant company developments.
Data Security Inc. Director of Operations Renee Schafer was accepted into the Forbes Business Council.
Geomega Resources received financing of $1.3 million, which will go toward building a rare earth magnet recycling pilot plant in Quebec.
Sims Lifecycle Services announced it is participating in the upcoming Accelerating the Circular Economy virtual event, which will be hosted by Companies for Zero Waste.
Equipment supplier SSI Shredding Systems updated its line of PRI-MAX primary reducer shredders.
The Electronics Reuse & Recycling Alliance (TERRA) is partnering with the Portland Timbers and Portland Thorns FC to provide their fans access to mail-in device recycling through TERRA’s Done with IT program.
The WEEE Forum published a paper discussing problems associated with collecting and handling e-scrap together with other types of scrap metal.
The U.K. Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee accused Apple of avoiding questions related to device repairability.
The Green Electronics Council (GEC) is preparing to launch a “photovoltaic modules and inverters” category for the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) registry, which serves as a guide for environmentally friendly electronics purchasing.
Nintendo faces a lawsuit in France alleging planned obsolescence.
Proses Makina, a Turkish company involved in electronic recycling, wrote about its use of pyrolysis to process e-plastics.
Grand Rapids, Mich. processor Comprenew added vehicles to its fleet and expanded its e-scrap pickup service to cover the entire state.
ERI announced that Andrew Nunan, senior operations manager at ERI’s Plainfield, Ind. facility, was appointed to Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb’s Recycling Market Development Board.
R3eWaste, an e-scrap processor based in Phoenix, opened a 10,000-square-foot Austin, Texas processing facility.
Redwood Materials, a lithium-ion battery recycling startup, received investment funds from Amazon. The company processes batteries from consumer electronics and other sources.
Teleplan and Clover Wireless, which last year merged through an acquisition, rebranded with a name change to “Reconext.”
Wisetek launched IT Asset Recovery Solutions, an ITAD service the company describes as a “direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Eriez added suspended permanent magnets to its Quick Ship Program, which expedites delivery service for some of the company’s most popular products.
Equipment supplier Tomra published an ebook detailing the benefits of using cloud-based data.
WEEE Forum announced that the third International E-Waste Day will be held on Oct. 14, aiming to promote proper disposal of electronics throughout the world.
U.K.-based Coventry University researchers are exploring an e-scrap process they call “bioleaching,” which involves extracting metals using a bacteria.
New Zealand startup Mint Innovation plans to open an e-scrap processing facility in the U.K., using a “bio-refining” process that combines hydrometallurgy and biotechnology.
The Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) announced new participants in its State Electronics Challenge.
Michigan processor Schupan & Sons has added Wenceslao (Lao) Manzano Hernandez as a trader within the company’s materials trading division. He will be based in Japan.
Orlando, Fla. processor Southeastern Data was awarded a contract to provide e-scrap and ITAD services for Orange County, Fla.
Equipment supplier Stadler acquired a majority stake in weeeSwiss Technology AG, which designs, constructs and operates electronics recycling systems.
Data destruction firm Stellar released BitRaser, a software tool that provides data erasure and diagnostic services for a variety of storage devices.
Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI) announced that the R2v3 standard has received designation as an Approved National Standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).
Apple is reportedly making cost-saving battery-related design changes to the iPhone 12, iPhone 12S and AirPods 3 devices.
E-Cycle Wisconsin, that state’s e-scrap program, announced that it recycled 325 million pounds of electronics during its first 10 years in operation.
Management systems consulting firm IBEC announced it is working with a handful of clients that have obtained R2 certification.
Ingram Micro is being considered for an acquisition by private equity firm Platinum Equity.
USA Today reported that there is a shortage of laptops for sale in the U.S., because of the coronavirus and U.S.-China trade war tariffs.
Apple expanded its independent repair program to allow participating companies to fix Mac computers. Until now, the program has only covered iPhones.
The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) will host a town hall event covering the R2v3 certification standard, featuring Sean De Vries of Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI).
Apple shared emails with the House Judiciary Committee indicating there is division within the company about its stance on right-to-repair issues.
Singapore technology firm Green Li-ion developed a chemical process that the company says can increase lithium-ion battery recycling efficiency.
Hyla Mobile reported that the used mobile device market gained strength during the second quarter.
Finnish manufacturer Mirka released Remint, a series of abrasive and polishing compounds that can be used to repair scratched displays.
Processor SAMR launched QuickPaq, a mail-in collection service geared toward safely collecting material from employees working from home.
Sunnking scheduled its first e-scrap collection since COVID-19 put all such gatherings on pause. The company is anticipating “record attendance” for the Aug. 29 event.