A county collection program servicing 223,000 single-family households is rolling out on-demand curbside electronics and battery collection accepting virtually all types of e-scrap. | Photo courtesy Montgomery County Department of Environment Protection
By creatively utilizing existing collection infrastructure, a county government in Maryland is rolling out curbside electronics and battery collection for all electronics at no additional cost. Continue Reading
The company previously announced it was postponing its new Europe battery recycling plant and pausing construction on its Canada battery materials plant. | Owlie Productions/Shutterstock
Belgian battery specialist company Umicore added on-again, off-again tariffs to a list of economic woes that included slower-than-expected adoption of electric vehicles and a global market slowdown, during a recent capital markets update. Continue Reading
Li-Cycle announced that without additional funding, it will not be able to continue operations or draw down its federal loan. | T. Schneider/Shutterstock
Facing continuing losses year over year, lithium-ion battery processor Li-Cycle voiced concern in recent SEC filings about its ability to “achieve or sustain profitability” and repay its debts, as it has for several years. Continue Reading
Sixteen states have introduced bills this year addressing the right to repair electronic devices. | VILevi/Shutterstock
This year has been a busy one for policy concerning e-scrap and electronics, with several dozen bills filed in states across the country. Continue Reading
Electronics recycling facility fires have fluctuated widely over the years, but 2024 brought a new high, according to one tally. | PK Studio/Shutterstock
There were 14 publicly reported fires at North American electronics recycling facilities in 2024, representing a 56% increase over the prior year, according to an annual review by fire detection equipment supplier Fire Rover. It’s the highest yearly figure since the company began tracking fire statistics. Continue Reading
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
Samsung Electronics launched a Circular Battery Supply Chain to recover and reuse cobalt. | MilsiArt/Shutterstock
Samsung Electronics is working to take cobalt from old Galaxy batteries and incorporate it into new batteries. Continue Reading
State regulators described permit and documentation issues related to an alkaline battery processing line. | Kinek00/Shutterstock
Washington state regulators this month announced an enforcement action against longtime processor Total Reclaim, stemming from battery processing violations observed during a 2023 inspection. Continue Reading
More than 20 bills concerning electronics recycling so far have been introduced in 14 states for the 2025 legislative session. | Parilov/Shutterstock
Legislators have been filing bills all month as the 2025 session starts up, and in the e-scrap realm, two main topics are again at the forefront: extended producer responsibility for batteries and the right to repair consumer electronics.
While getting insurance for facilities has become much more difficult and costly, working closely with a broker to tell a story of safety can bring down costs, panelists said at the 2024 E-Scrap Conference. | Big Wave Productions/Resource Recycling
Rising insurance costs have been a topic of concern for several years, and while battery-induced fires have caught much of the attention, panelists at the 2024 E-Scrap Conference said there’s more to it – and more options are available to ease the pressure. Continue Reading