IAER ELECTRONICS RECYCLING NEWSLETTER

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

JANUARY 2008

INDUSTRY NEWS

FEATURE STORIES ON ELECTRONICS RECYCLING

· “High-Tech Trash”

(National Geographic Magazine – January 2008)

While there is evidence that the volume of illegal imports of scrap electronics into China has been reducing, it appears that some is “diverted to other parts of Asia, or – increasingly – dumped in West African countries like Ghana, Nigeria, and Ivory Coast”. This report includes an eye-witness account of large volumes of scrap electronics being processed in crude, unhealthy and unsafe conditions in Ghana. “While some recyclers process the material with an eye toward minimizing pollution and health risks, many more sell it to brokers who ship it to the developing world, where environmental enforcement is weak”. A state-of-the-art shredding/sorting process at Creative Recycling Systems (IAER Member) was cited as an example of responsible recycling. It was also noted that “the EPA is exploring certification options”.

· “All About: Electronics”

(CNN – December 3, 2007)

This overview article provides information on trends and implications related to electronics recycling. “e-waste is the fastest growing source of municipal waste on Earth … up to 50 million tons … a year … In the developing world, e-waste levels are expected to triple in the next five years”. As new electronics and software technology are developed, the useful lifespans of electronic products are shortening – now averaging 2 years for a PC and 18 months for cell phones. Large volumes of electronic scrap are exported – particularly to China, India and Africa – often “under the guise of charitable or re-usable materials”. Scrap electronics are becoming an increasingly important and valuable source of precious metals and rare materials, while a new generation of environmentally responsible electronic products is beginning to have an impact on conserving energy and reducing pollution.

ELECTRONICS RECYCLING LEGISLATION

(NCER News Summary and E-Scrap News)

· Wisconsin

A proposed bill to the introduced in the Wisconsin Senate is modeled after Minnesota legislation based on producer responsibility and a landfill ban.

· Missouri

A proposed Missouri Senate bill “requires computer manufacturers to establish a state-approved recovery plan … for used IT equipment”.

· New Jersey

The New Jersey Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill that “establishes a statewide recovery program for the collection of electronic devices and video display devices” using an advanced recovery fee and landfill ban.

· Maine

“The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has updated its orphan pro rata for 2008. Only manufacturers that represent greater than 1% of the monitor or TV waste stream are assigned an orphan pro rata share.”

· New York - “E-Waste” Editorial

(New York Times – December 9, 2007)

The New York City Council is expected to act on proposed electronics recycling legislation. “The measure would oblige the manufacturers of certain electronic goods to recover or recycle a gradually increasing percentage of what they sell in the city – 25 percent in 2012, rising to 65 percent in 2018 … Mandating responsible recycling in a market as huge as New York could inspire a welcome wave of environmental conscience in corporate boardrooms.”

INTERNATIONAL NEWS ON ELECTRONICS RECYCLING

· China

(Daily Telegraph/UK – December 27, 2007)

In yet another report of electronics recycling abuses in China, this report cites the British Environmental Agency in its claim that “despite a ban on exports of electronic waste to China, unscrupulous middle men are using a loophole in the law … E-waste is delivered to ‘civic amenity sites’, which can sell it on for recycling at home” – driven by the recent rises in metals prices. The town of Guiyu is reported to be a “giant scrap yard, so dangerously polluted that its children are being clinically poisoned, the electronic objects of desire, a million tons of them a year, are broken apart, melted down, and washed in acid to be recycled into a new flood of imports for Christmas future”.

(E-Scrap News December 12, 2007)

The China EPA “has issued the ‘Measures for the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution’, which will go into effect on February 1, 2008. The new measures will cover the re-usability guidelines, disassembly, disposal and storage of end-of-life electronics”.

INDUSTRY EVENTS

INDUSTRY CALENDAR

The IAER Calendar of Industry Events has been completely updated for 2008. The Industry Calendar is posted on the IAER website at: http://www.iaer.org/communications/indcal.htm

EPA WORKSHOP

The U.S. EPA hosted a “bilingual workshop in Tijuana, Mexico (December 4-6), focusing on environmentally sound recycling techniques for spent lead acid batteries and electronic waste”.

ELECTRONICS RECYCLING SUMMIT® - 2008

The IAER and ISRI announced that the 2008 SUMMIT event will be held in conjunction with next year’s ISRI annual convention – April 6-10, 2008 in Las Vegas, NV. Watch here for details as they develop.

Highlights of 2007 Electronics Recycling SUMMIT® - including the complete program, copies of the SUMMIT presentations and a photo gallery can be found on the IAER website at:

http://www.iaer.org/summit/summit/Summit2007c.htm

IAER NEWS

IAER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

During the Electronics Recycling SUMMIT®, the IAER announced a new release of the IAER Certification Program. The IAER Standards & Certification Committee completed a year-long effort of revising the IAER Certification Standard and supporting documents involved in the IAER certification process. The revisions focused on expanding, strengthening and re-organizing requirements to be consistent with all the key elements of the EPA’s draft “Best Management Practices for Electronics Recycling” (BMPs) – particularly in areas such as control of materials of concern, downstream due diligence and risk management, tracking records, reuse and refurbishment.

Click here for more information on Release 2.1 – including the News Release and revised IAER Certification Standard.

Many companies are now taking advantage of IAER Certification – and the cost efficient process that was introduced last year.

If your company is not sure about pursuing IAER Certification, visit the web page on: “The Benefits of being a Certified Electronics Recycler®”.

To recognize those that have achieved IAER certification, a webpage has been established that provides access to the public to all current Certified Electronics Recyclers.

IAER ELECTRONICS RECYCLING INDUSTRY REPORT

The IAER partnered with Resource Recycling/E-Scrap News to publish a 2006 update to the Electronics Recycling Industry Report®. It includes surveys of the electronics recycling industry in the U.S. as well as comprehensive new research on the trends and developments that drive the industry. This report contains information that is essential for anyone involved or interested in the electronics recycling industry – with even more data and illustrations than the original 2003 Report. For more information and to order the Report, go to the web page at:

http://www.iaer.org/communications/indreport.htm

Updates to the Industry Report were presented at this year’s SUMMIT and have been posted on the SUMMIT 2007 webpage.

COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENTS

(From News Releases, Recycling Today, and E-Scrap News)

Recyclers

· MaSeR – announced an increase in its capacity for materials recovery processing to “over 3000 tons in the first quarter of 2008”.

· American Retroworks – announced a partnership with Retroworks de Mexico to collect and recycle electronics scrap along the U.S.–Mexico border region.

Other Companies and Organizations

· Sony – announced a program that offers “a $100 coupon toward the purchase of a new … HDTV for consumers who recycle an old television through selected Waste Management Recycle America (IAER Member) locations”.

· Matsushita – reported that it “will be re-using plastics reclaimed from CRT-based television casings for parts in its (new) line of flat-screen televisions”.

· Eriez – announced “advanced, cost-effective Electrostatic Separators what use surface conductivity to recover valuable metals from electronic scrap including chopped wire”.

	IAER ELECTRONICS RECYCLING NEWSLETTER HAPPY NEW YEAR! JANUARY 2008 INDUSTRY NEWS FEATURE STORIES ON ELECTRONICS RECYCLING · “High-Tech Trash” (National Geographic Magazine – January 2008) While there is evidence that the volume of illegal imports of scrap electronics into China has been reducing, it appears that some is “diverted to other parts of Asia, or – increasingly – dumped in West African countries like Ghana, Nigeria, and Ivory Coast”. This report includes an eye-witness account of large volumes of scrap electronics being processed in crude, unhealthy and unsafe conditions in Ghana. “While some recyclers process the material with an eye toward minimizing pollution and health risks, many more sell it to brokers who ship it to the developing world, where environmental enforcement is weak”. A state-of-the-art shredding/sorting process at Creative Recycling Systems (IAER Member) was cited as an example of responsible recycling. It was also noted that “the EPA is exploring certification options”. · “All About: Electronics” (CNN – December 3, 2007) This overview article provides information on trends and implications related to electronics recycling. “e-waste is the fastest growing source of municipal waste on Earth … up to 50 million tons … a year … In the developing world, e-waste levels are expected to triple in the next five years”. As new electronics and software technology are developed, the useful lifespans of electronic products are shortening – now averaging 2 years for a PC and 18 months for cell phones. Large volumes of electronic scrap are exported – particularly to China, India and Africa – often “under the guise of charitable or re-usable materials”. Scrap electronics are becoming an increasingly important and valuable source of precious metals and rare materials, while a new generation of environmentally responsible electronic products is beginning to have an impact on conserving energy and reducing pollution. ELECTRONICS RECYCLING LEGISLATION (NCER News Summary and E-Scrap News) · Wisconsin A proposed bill to the introduced in the Wisconsin Senate is modeled after Minnesota legislation based on producer responsibility and a landfill ban. · Missouri A proposed Missouri Senate bill “requires computer manufacturers to establish a state-approved recovery plan … for used IT equipment”. · New Jersey The New Jersey Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bill that “establishes a statewide recovery program for the collection of electronic devices and video display devices” using an advanced recovery fee and landfill ban. · Maine “The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has updated its orphan pro rata for 2008. Only manufacturers that represent greater than 1% of the monitor or TV waste stream are assigned an orphan pro rata share.” · New York - “E-Waste” Editorial (New York Times – December 9, 2007) The New York City Council is expected to act on proposed electronics recycling legislation. “The measure would oblige the manufacturers of certain electronic goods to recover or recycle a gradually increasing percentage of what they sell in the city – 25 percent in 2012, rising to 65 percent in 2018 … Mandating responsible recycling in a market as huge as New York could inspire a welcome wave of environmental conscience in corporate boardrooms.” INTERNATIONAL NEWS ON ELECTRONICS RECYCLING · China (Daily Telegraph/UK – December 27, 2007) In yet another report of electronics recycling abuses in China, this report cites the British Environmental Agency in its claim that “despite a ban on exports of electronic waste to China, unscrupulous middle men are using a loophole in the law … E-waste is delivered to ‘civic amenity sites’, which can sell it on for recycling at home” – driven by the recent rises in metals prices. The town of Guiyu is reported to be a “giant scrap yard, so dangerously polluted that its children are being clinically poisoned, the electronic objects of desire, a million tons of them a year, are broken apart, melted down, and washed in acid to be recycled into a new flood of imports for Christmas future”. (E-Scrap News December 12, 2007) The China EPA “has issued the ‘Measures for the Prevention and Control of Environmental Pollution’, which will go into effect on February 1, 2008. The new measures will cover the re-usability guidelines, disassembly, disposal and storage of end-of-life electronics”. INDUSTRY EVENTS INDUSTRY CALENDAR The IAER Calendar of Industry Events has been completely updated for 2008. The Industry Calendar is posted on the IAER website at: http://www.iaer.org/communications/indcal.htm EPA WORKSHOP The U.S. EPA hosted a “bilingual workshop in Tijuana, Mexico (December 4-6), focusing on environmentally sound recycling techniques for spent lead acid batteries and electronic waste”. ELECTRONICS RECYCLING SUMMIT® - 2008 The IAER and ISRI announced that the 2008 SUMMIT event will be held in conjunction with next year’s ISRI annual convention – April 6-10, 2008 in Las Vegas, NV. Watch here for details as they develop. Highlights of 2007 Electronics Recycling SUMMIT® - including the complete program, copies of the SUMMIT presentations and a photo gallery can be found on the IAER website at: http://www.iaer.org/summit/summit/Summit2007c.htm IAER NEWS IAER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM During the Electronics Recycling SUMMIT®, the IAER announced a new release of the IAER Certification Program. The IAER Standards & Certification Committee completed a year-long effort of revising the IAER Certification Standard and supporting documents involved in the IAER certification process. The revisions focused on expanding, strengthening and re-organizing requirements to be consistent with all the key elements of the EPA’s draft “Best Management Practices for Electronics Recycling” (BMPs) – particularly in areas such as control of materials of concern, downstream due diligence and risk management, tracking records, reuse and refurbishment. Click here for more information on Release 2.1 – including the News Release and revised IAER Certification Standard. Many companies are now taking advantage of IAER Certification – and the cost efficient process that was introduced last year. *If your company is not sure about pursuing IAER Certification, visit the web page on: “The Benefits of being a Certified Electronics Recycler®”. To recognize those that have achieved IAER certification, a webpage has been established that provides access to the public to all current Certified Electronics Recyclers. IAER ELECTRONICS RECYCLING INDUSTRY REPORT* The IAER partnered with Resource Recycling/E-Scrap News to publish a 2006 update to the Electronics Recycling Industry Report®. It includes surveys of the electronics recycling industry in the U.S. as well as comprehensive new research on the trends and developments that drive the industry. This report contains information that is essential for anyone involved or interested in the electronics recycling industry – with even more data and illustrations than the original 2003 Report. For more information and to order the Report, go to the web page at: http://www.iaer.org/communications/indreport.htm Updates to the Industry Report were presented at this year’s SUMMIT and have been posted on the SUMMIT 2007 webpage. COMPANY ANNOUNCEMENTS (From News Releases, Recycling Today, and E-Scrap News) Recyclers · MaSeR – announced an increase in its capacity for materials recovery processing to “over 3000 tons in the first quarter of 2008”. · American Retroworks – announced a partnership with Retroworks de Mexico to collect and recycle electronics scrap along the U.S.–Mexico border region. Other Companies and Organizations · Sony – announced a program that offers “a $100 coupon toward the purchase of a new … HDTV for consumers who recycle an old television through selected Waste Management Recycle America (IAER Member) locations”. · Matsushita – reported that it “will be re-using plastics reclaimed from CRT-based television casings for parts in its (new) line of flat-screen televisions”. · Eriez – announced “advanced, cost-effective Electrostatic Separators what use surface conductivity to recover valuable metals from electronic scrap including chopped wire”. Return to the main page