Samsung recently offered a profile of the Denton family, seen here tackling e-waste by repairing old gaming systems before donating them. | Photo courtesy of Samsung
OEMs are looking at redesigning products to ease repair and recycling, and three youths are inspired to start a nonprofit group after participating in a Samsung program. At the same time, design choices from other companies end up in an unwelcome limelight.
(Clockwise from top left) Kim Fox of Lenovo, Sean De Vries of Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI), Don Hennen of RLG, and Beth Johnson of Dell.
Two electronics manufacturers and a reverse logistics contractor recently described what they look for in recycling vendors. They also discussed how audits have changed during the pandemic – and why some changes may be here to stay.
Apple on Nov. 17 announced its Self Service Repair program, which will be available first for the iPhone 12 and 13 and then will include Mac computers with M1 chips. | Parilov/Shutterstock
Apple will sell its parts and tools to individual consumers so they can make common repairs for iPhones, the company announced this week.
An employee at New Jersey ITAD company PlanITROI processing a laptop. | Courtesy of PlanITROI
An OEM is working with ITAD firm PlanITROI to launch a trade-in initiative that pays consumers based on estimated computer resale values.
Microsoft will complete a third-party study focused on repair to help guide the design of future products. | Paolo Bona / Shutterstock
Facing pressure from a shareholder advocacy group, Microsoft announced it will expand the availability of parts and repair documentation, increase consumer access to local repair options, and more.
In California, many products will soon need to meet a 60% recycling rate to be considered “recyclable.” | Donald Walker / Shutterstock
Electronics manufacturers may be barred from telling consumers about certain device take-back programs in California, under a bill Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law this month.
USB-C is already widely used around the world, but micro-USB continues to be used, and Apple uses its own Lightning port. | Primakov / Shutterstock
The European Commission is asking for regulations forcing mobile device manufacturers to standardize the use of USB Type-C chargers.
An Apple shareholder resolution follows a similar effort at Microsoft earlier this year. | Al.geba / Shutterstock
An environment-focused investment firm this month filed a shareholder resolution with Apple, asking the OEM to move away from its “restrictive” product repair policies.
Anuar Garcia, founder and CEO of GreenTek Solutions. | Courtesy of Apple
GreenTek Solutions was selected to participate in Apple’s new Impact Accelerator program, which supports racial and ethnic minority-owned businesses in the green technology and clean energy sectors.
Microsoft declined to comment on the shareholder resolution, but a company spokesperson pointed to Microsoft’s Devices Sustainability Report for the 2020 fiscal year.| Eric Glenn / Shutterstock
An advocacy group filed a shareholder resolution requesting that Microsoft study the impacts of making repair resources readily available to the public. The company hasn’t commented, but it referenced its existing efforts in the field of repair.