
Record July and August fires at MRFs highlight the “vape effect” with lithium-ion batteries driving rising risks, Fogelman’s report finds. | Photo courtesy Cocke County Fire Department
Waste and recycling facilities across the United States and Canada saw another surge in fires this summer, with July and August setting back-to-back monthly records, according to Ryan Fogelman, VP of Fire Protection at Fire Rover. Continue Reading

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and other technology companies have pointed to operating system and AI adoption as drivers for device refreshes, spurring supply for recyclers and secondary markets. | Photo courtesy of Hewlett Packard Enterprise
In its recent quarterly investor call, Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) was the latest technology firm to credit a sustained cycle of enterprise infrastructure upgrades for a prolonged increase of used equipment into secondary markets.

OnePlanet appointed Nathan Arbitman as chief commercial officer to scale US solar panel recycling, with a 2027 plant aiming to process over 2 million modules yearly. | Photo courtesy of OnePlanet
OnePlanet Solar Recycling, based in Jacksonville, Florida, has appointed Nathan Arbitman as its first chief commercial officer, as the company moves to scale solar panel recycling operations. The announcement follows OnePlanet’s $7 million seed round and plans for a $90 million industrial facility in Florida. Continue Reading

EcoBatt, part of the EcoCycle Group, is opening a Melbourne plant to recover in-device batteries. | Photo Courtesy of Gloyd Recycling Solutions
A new Battery-in-Device Shredding (BIDS) facility in Melbourne will start operations shortly, according to its backers, who say the site will tackle the growing problem of batteries hidden in everyday products and the risks they pose when discarded. Continue Reading
Flash Metals, the company’s US subsidiary, also was awarded a $100,000 contract with the US Department of Defense. | Petr Bonek/Shutterstock
This story has been corrected to reflect the Metallium CEO’s name.
After announcing its first US facility in Houston, Texas, Metallium has now secured two additional sites in Massachusetts and Virginia for future electronics recovery plants, and received a $100,000 contract with the US Department of Defense. Continue Reading

Consumers received $1.34 billion from mobile trade-ins in Q2 2025, a 60% jump on the year, as device ages hit a record 3.88 years and AI-capable phones spur upgrade interest. | Karen Poghosyan1/Shutterstock
Assurant’s latest quarterly snapshot of the secondary smartphone market shows a record haul for consumers and a steady rise in device age, suggesting upgrade timing is being shaped by a mix of richer mobile provider promotions and emerging interest in on-device AI.

Tying the agenda together is the balance between high-level strategic issues and practical operational themes. | Photo by meetbigwave.com
The E-Scrap Conference agenda features a rich program that offers operational detail and high-level strategy as attendees face immediate market realities in the near term and structural changes in the long term. Continue Reading
