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Report: Battery ‘retirement tide’ nears

Published: March 13, 2025
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North America has the current capacity to process 144,000 tons per year of lithium-ion batteries. Vietnam Stock Photos/Shutterstock

North America’s current capacity to process 144,000 tons per year of lithium-ion batteries is “quite insignificant” against the projected growth in new manufacturing, according to a recent overview of the global lithium-ion battery recycling landscape from consulting and research firm Deloitte and a division of the American Chemical Society. Continue Reading

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Electronics recovery firms convene at RLA 2025

Published: March 13, 2025
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From left, Sean Magann of Sims Lifecycle Services, Rob Lawson-Shanks of Molg and Rebecca Latson of Dell speak during a panel discussion at the Reverse Logistics Association Conference and Expo in Las Vegas on March 11. | Photo by Colin Staub

Data center decommissioning, right to repair, tariffs and the role of artificial intelligence in end-of-life product grading were hot topics during a meeting of reverse logistics professionals this week.  Continue Reading

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Traceability tools add recycled material trust

Published: March 13, 2025
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Traceability tools can act as a scorecard, providing proof that recycling works and helping counter an often one-sided narrative in consumer media outlets. | 9dream Studio/Shutterstock

Editor’s note: Learn more about traceability technology and many other topics at the 2025 Plastics Recycling Conference on March 24-26 in National Harbor, Maryland.  Continue Reading

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Canada, Mexico tariffs poised to disrupt recycling sector

Published: March 6, 2025
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mixed e-scrap

The tariffs threaten to raise costs to import end-of-life batteries, circuit boards and mixed e-scrap from Canada and Mexico. | priscilla list/Shutterstock

March 7 update: Some of the new tariffs on imports from both Mexico and Canada were paused following executive orders President Donald Trump signed on March 6. The orders exempt goods that enter the U.S. under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which would appear to exempt recycled materials, but it’s not entirely clear. Canada’s first round of retaliatory tariffs appears to remain in effect.

The Recycled Materials Association warned of potential “severe” disruption to the materials recovery sector after tariffs targeting the U.S.’s largest trading partners took effect this week. Some tariffs on Mexican imports were paused for another month on March 6. Meanwhile, Canada’s proposed response includes tariffs on U.S. exports of recycled materials. Continue Reading

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Our top stories from February 2025

Published: March 6, 2025
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Suttirat Wiriyanon/Shutterstock

Readers last month were drawn to coverage of a federal criminal case involving a former Wisetek employee who stole devices during ITAD jobs. Camston Wrather’s bankruptcy, Kuusakoski’s exit from the U.S., a major ITAD merger and a FBI ITAD audit also drew attention.
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EPA leader planning cuts to staffing, grants

Published: March 6, 2025
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The EPA administrator pointed to staffing, office space and grants as areas to cut agency spending. | John Hanson Pye/Shutterstock

Details are scarce on U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin’s plans to cut his agency’s spending by 65% or more, but some of its 15,000 full-time-equivalent positions and grants to recycling programs across the country could be on the chopping block.  Continue Reading

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New EPEAT criteria set to take effect in November

Published: March 6, 2025
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The updated Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool program criteria focuses on environmental and human rights requirements, such as transparent supply chains. | Chayanuphol/Shutterstock

The Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool program rolled out new criteria for sustainable electronics, increasing focus on environmental and human rights requirements.  Continue Reading