Size-reduced solar panels at Com2 Recycling Solutions’ Illinois facility. The company is using the glass to offset declining CRT volumes. | Photo courtesy Com2
Electronics processors are increasingly adding solar panel recycling capacity, in some cases processing the panels similarly to declining streams like CRT glass and in other cases rolling out entirely new technologies, companies said in recent interviews. Continue Reading
Hard drives provide one source of rare earth elements in the end-of-life electronics stream. | Kazu326/Shutterstock
As rare earth elements draw mainstream headlines for their entanglement in the U.S.-China trade war, recent announcements from an ITAD operator, an OEM and a magnet processor indicate the domestic end-of-life device stream is increasingly providing feedstock for rare earth end users. Continue Reading
China dominates the global production of rare earth elements, and the U.S. wants to find ways to change that. | RHJ Photo and Illustration/Shutterstock
The White House this week issued an executive order directing the Department of Commerce to explore the effects of critical mineral imports on national security. Among other points, it calls for the agency to explore policies boosting recycling of minerals like cobalt, nickel, aluminum and palladium, as well as the 17 rare earth elements. 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
Hard drives provide a key supply of magnets in the end-of-life consumer electronics stream. | Lifestyle and Wedding ph/Shutterstock
A U.S. rare earth recycling technology firm recently announced it has expanded its capabilities to recycle magnets, including those sourced from end-of-life consumer electronics. 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
U.S.-based REEcycle includes a skid mounted drive disassembly system in its arsenal of tools for recovery rare earth elements from magnets. | Courtesy of REEcycle
Rare earth element recycler REEcycle received a $5.1 million award from the U.S. Department of Defense to advance its work in extracting elements critical to neodymium-iron-boron magnets — the key building blocks of renewable energy and national defense technologies. 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
Many of the awarded companies are exploring new ways of recovering rare earth magnets from end-of-life electronics. | stuphipps/Shutterstock
The Department of Energy’s aptly named E-SCRAP prize program has awarded funds to companies engaged in hard drive disassembly, rare earth magnet recovery, hydrometallurgy and e-plastics recycling. More companies are invited to apply this year. Continue Reading
A crucial early step after deciding to incorporate a shredder is to determine what materials a company wants to shred. | Big Wave Productions/Resource Recycling
Evolving technology in electronics shredding can help make value recovery more efficient and profitable, but there are several considerations companies must factor in before investing in new equipment, panelists said at the recent E-Scrap Conference. Continue Reading