The research project focused on recovering cobalt, tantalum, neodymium, tungsten and gallium, materials that were chosen due to their relative scarcity and cost. | Courtesy of the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology.
A four-year research project has developed an automated system that uses lasers to identify and remove components while dismantling electronics.
The Coalition for American Electronics Recycling is calling for a change to Executive Order 12999, which directs federal agencies to distribute retired assets to nonprofit organizations for refurbishment and distribution to schools. | Fedor Sidorov/Shutterstock
A coalition of electronics recycling companies wants to see change in a government rule that prevents federal agencies from distributing surplus IT equipment to for-profit processors.
E-scrap sector leader Jim Levine sees that the “entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in this industry.”
Spectrum Ecycle has 13 employees working out of a 13,000-square-foot facility in St. Louis.
With a drumbeat of mainstream media headlines emphasizing the importance of recycling electronics to recover valuable metals, consumers and businesses may question the need to pay fees to recycle their used devices.
