The research project focused on recovering cobalt, tantalum, neodymium, tungsten and gallium, materials that were chosen due to their relative scarcity and cost. | Courtesy of the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology.
A four-year research project has developed an automated system that uses lasers to identify and remove components while dismantling electronics.
A recent study found thermal events occurring at all stages of the WEEE collection and processing chain. | nongningstudio/Shutterstock
A new report notes more and more fires are breaking out in electronics collection and processing facilities around the world, and experts say damaged batteries are typically the culprit.
A recent report suggests that moves toward refurbishment and reuse in the data center sector could reduce greenhouse gas impacts by as much as 24% or more. | Maximumm/Shutterstock
ITAD service providers are increasingly communicating the carbon impact of refurbishing electronics, recent announcements indicate.
Survey results indicate that enterprises remain hesitant to move away from physical device destruction. | Silverscreen/Shutterstock
A survey found many IT professionals view physical device destruction as a safer option than data wiping. That opinion varies greatly by business sector.
The Consumer Technology Association forcasts a 4% to 12% decline in laptop sales this year compared to last year. | ECLIPSE PRODUCTION/Shutterstock
An economic downturn triggered by the coronavirus will translate to lower sales of new electronics this year, according to an industry group.
Cascade’s annual report includes data the company collected on the 560,000 assets it processed in 2018 and 2019. | fizkes/Shutterstock
Resale values for used computers declined in 2019 after multiple years of increases, according to an ITAD firm. One possible culprit is generators opting for device destruction over data wiping.
Printed circuit boards are made of roughly 30% metal and 70% nonmetals. | Sebastian_Photography/Shutterstock
Scientists who set their sights on potentially hazardous chemicals in scrap electronics say they can effectively break down the flame retardants in shredded circuit boards.
Gartner reported that businesses upgrading to Windows 10 played into strong demand last year. | People Image Studio/Shutterstock
Global PC purchases increased in 2019, reversing a years-long downward trend. The growth was driven primarily by sales to the business sector
Supermicro’s annual survey found fewer respondents are choosing certified recycling operators. | Maximumm/Shutterstock
A survey of data centers found the IT-rich facilities are moving in the wrong direction when it comes to recycling their hardware.
The U.S. recycling rate for consumer electronics has been trending downward since 2014.
The U.S. recycling rate for consumer electronics took a dive in 2016 and flatlined the following year, according to the U.S. EPA.