Although the 2025 Basel Convention changes were confined to e-scrap materials, a wider range of scrap metal exports to Thailand have gotten caught up in the fray. | Mayday6510/Shutterstock
In Thailand, import regulations meant to control the flow of end-of-life electronics are creating headaches for shipments of a wider array of metals, including automotive scrap materials. The Recycled Materials Association recently traveled to the country to clarify the confusion. Continue Reading
The Basel Convention regulated e-plastics in 2021, but each party country must adopt domestic laws to enforce those rules. | Sutthisak Tasri/Shutterstock
The Malaysian government recently published regulations indicating the country will stop all U.S.-sourced imports of scrap plastic, including e-plastics from electronics, on July 1. Reports from plastic traders indicate the flow of scrap plastic into Malaysia has already slowed. Continue Reading
Illinois-based RDI is banned from e-Stewards certification for two years after an investigation uncovered critical non-conformities in its downstream practices. RDI said the non-conformities are a misunderstanding. | donvictorio/Shutterstock
The Basel Action Network announced a two-year e-Stewards certification ban for RDI Inc., an IT asset disposition company that applied for certification but then withdrew after BAN found “critical nonconformities” in where the company was shipping e-scrap. RDI said it stems from a misunderstanding. Continue Reading
An ERI collection event in Madison, Wisconsin, detailed in the company’s 2024 impact report. | Photo courtesy ERI
Last year was a busy one for ERI, bringing the launch of the company’s first in-house alkaline battery processing facility, establishment of a new stable e-plastics downstream and the rollout of the latest edition of the company’s automated device identification system.
An initiative by the Basel Action Network helped stop illegal e-scrap imports in Southeast Asia, the organization said. | Photo by EARTH Thailand / Provided courtesy of BAN
Officials in Malaysia and Thailand seized containers with hundreds of tons of e-scrap illegally imported from the United States earlier this month after tips from the U.S. nonprofit Basel Action Network. Continue Reading
Recovered material imports, like the 1 million tons of recovered fiber the U.S. brought in from Canada last year, appear to be tariff-exempt under a new executive order. | John New/Shutterstock
The U.S. tariff whirlwind continues this month: Many imports from Canada and Mexico, including those of recycled materials, had their tariffs suspended two days after they took effect last week, while previously announced tariffs on aluminum and steel from all countries took effect Wednesday.
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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
If critical minerals become harder to source, the recycling industry could draw greater attention as a supply line. | Cybrain/Shutterstock
As trade strife between the U.S. and China heats up once again, the Chinese government has restricted exports of some key metals alongside retaliatory tariffs. Given China’s position as the world’s largest supplier of those metals, the move could spur more interest in U.S. recycling. Continue Reading
The 38 members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development were required to report by Jan. 15 on how they’ll interpret the most recent Basel Convention amendment. | Sebastien Coell / ShutterStock
Countries within the OECD have announced how they’ll each enforce new Basel Convention rules. As was foreshadowed by their previous failure to agree on uniform enforcement among all members, there is a fair amount of variance by nation.
After allegations of illegal e-scrap imports, Malaysia’s Department of Environment announced it would improve standard operating procedures and oversight. | Mayday6510/Shutterstock
On the heels of high-profile illegal e-scrap import claims and updates to the Basel Convention, Malaysian officials said they would be tightening operating procedures. Continue Reading