Meet Ismail Oyekan, Founder, Electronic Waste Journal & Program Director, International Electronics Recycling Conference & Expo (IERCE)

The Electronic Waste journal will periodically interview dynamic personalities, businesses and organizations making news in the electronics waste management industry. Anna Gonzales, a staff writer with the E-waste journal recently met with E-waste journal Founder and  Program Director of the International Electronics Recycling Conference & Expo, Mr Ismail Oyekan in Los Angeles, California. Here are some excerpts from the conversation:

Ewaste Journal: Ismail, thank you for your time. Now moving ahead, what is the International Electronics Recycling Conference & Expo?

Ismail: The International Electronics Recycling Conference & Expo (IERCE) is a series of informative and networking events for individuals, environmental organizations or any business involved with electronics waste management. We recently held an event in Los Angeles California and we had several hundred people from over 20 nations in attendance . What’s impressive is this was our first event. I believe this demonstrates that we are in a fast emerging industry where businesses cherish the opportunity to network, learn and display their  products and services. That is also the motivation behind the launch of our new website & upcoming magazine, ewastejournal.com.

Ewaste Journal:  What is the climate of the electronics waste management industry?

Ismail: The electronics waste management industry is a derivative of the $52 billion dollar waste industry. As we all grow more dependent on computers, cellular phones and Information technology assets we will generate more e-waste.  Electronic waste is now the fastest growing waste stream in developed nations and the issue of electronic waste  containing toxins and been dumped in nations where there are no facilities to process this waste stream is well documented. 20 states have now introduced some form of legislature to combat e-waste with California at the frontline. Federal laws are in development and more businesses are realizing the social and environmental benefits of  proper e-waste management. There are more players in this rather new industry and the industry itself is introducing new standards. Also commodities such as copper, silver and gold are rising in value which encourages more recycling of electronics.

Ewaste Journal: Is the United States behind Europe when it comes to electronics waste management?

Ismail: When you look at the technology, legislature and recycling activity, I’m afraid the answer is “yes”, the Unites States is behind. However, I believe the tide is changing and the public, business sector, government and academia are more interested in sustainability here than say 5 years ago. The “green revolution” is not a fad or a trend. More Telecom Service Providers and OEM manufacturers are looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint & save costs, due to the economic downturn. In return, OEM manufacturers are using less resources and toxins such as lead in the  design of their products. More electronics manufacturers, retailers and end users are also taking responsibility for the proper disposal of their surplus, defective & end of life electronics assets. There is more awareness & publicity about the environmental impacts of e-waste thanks to NGO’s like Basel Action Network and Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition’s investigative reports. These are all positive trends.

Ewaste Journal: Tell us about the new standards been introduced to electronics recyclers?

Ismail: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) just rolled out a new standard called the R2 and a Seattle based environmental watchdog group, Basel Action Network (BAN) also recently introduced a competiting standard known as the e-stewards program. These new standards are much welcomed by the electronics recycling community, although there is a lot of misinformation and confusion about their differences. An “ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Certification” is the International standard but these newly introduced standards include safety and health policies as well as continuous reviews by 3rd party auditors to ensure compliance. I believe an ISO 14001, e-stewards or R2 certification, gives a recycler tremendous credibility, saves costs and is also a huge marketing advantage over competitors. Currently less than 25% of the approximate 700 electronic collectors and recyclers participating in the California SB-20/SB-50 program lack any certification. This will change because the industry is becoming more regulated and certification which is currently voluntary will obviously become a necessity in the coming months and years.

Ewaste Journal: How long is the ISO certification process and what are the costs and benefits?

Ismail: The costs are quite high, but the great news is we are developing relationships with the best consultants, registrars and auditors in the Industry which will result in savings of up to 70% for any interested electronics recycler or OEM manufacturer in regards to ISO:9001 & ISO:14001.  The process will take about 3 to 6 months with a significant return on investment. The leaders in this industry, such as Electronic Recyclers International and IT Renew are ISO:14001  certified. Any business entity with ISO certification, has significant credibility and therefore will earn more business from municipalities, OEM manufacturers and Fortune 1000 companies. Historically, in the event of a violation, regulators will fine you less if you have a documented environmental management system(ISO:14001) in place. Most importantly, the process is designed to save costs while minimizing the environmental impacts of your process. More OEM manufacturers, large businesses and municipalities are also requiring vendors to attain ISO certification, making certification a necessity in those cases. This trend is expected to continue and will become the norm within the e-waste industry.

Ewaste Journal: What is in the works for you? When is the next International Electronics Recycling Conference & Expo (IERCE)?

Ismail: Our next IERCE event will be held, May 2010 in San Francisco, California. We are expecting over 100 exhibitors and at least 900 participants. We will keep providing a much needed interactive platform for presentations and discussions by leaders and visionaries in this industry. Our last event had 30 speakers, 700 attendees and over 40 exhibitors. We are currently working on making all the educational sessions and discussions from IERCE 09′ available for viewing and download on our website at no cost. This way, I believe we can share the important information with those who were unable to attend. In March of 2010, we will host an electronics manufacturers/Recyclers Seminar here in California, with the goal of promoting more recycling within the Electronics manufacturing, Telecom and Semiconductor industries. This event is in development as we speak and we will announce dates and a preliminary agenda shortly. We are also doing some consulting work for several NGO’s, researchers and manufacturers.  Of course, we just launched e-waste journal which is another outlet to inform the players in this industry with the latest news, trends, events and offers. Thankfully, we are quite busy.

Ewaste Journal: What new trends have you observed within the electronics waste management industry?

Ismail: I’ve been involved with electronics waste management in some capacity or form for the past decade. There are certainly more players now than a decade ago. The new standards are much needed and overall the industry is very receptive to certification and regulation. More electronics recyclers are investing in software and technology to improve their yields, increase worker safety and generally most electronics recyclers are making a rebound from the harsh economic climate a few years ago. Manufacturers are also taking more responsibility. Most are starting to see the economic value in reusing end of life assets so they are setting up innovative buy back schemes. A great example is the wireless-handset industry. More non-profits, schools and churches are also using e-waste collection as a unique fundraising tool. The industry is vibrant and booming and I’m extremely happy to be a witness and part of the growth

Ewaste Journal: What is the role of Government in recycling?

Ismail: The Government plays a crucial role in the management of e-waste and recycling generally. Awareness and education are important as well as regulation and enforcement of recycling laws. The United States, should also reconsider signing the Basel Convention, a pledge which bans the export of electronics waste. In California, several schemes and laws including the cell phone recycling act and the ban on dumping electronic waste have increased recycling industry while protecting the environment. Other states including New York, Oregon and Maine are following this important trend. The Obama administration should really consider having introducing a nationwide ban on electronics waste dumping, like we have here in California. It saves the environment and creates green jobs.

Ewaste Journal: What do you expect in the next few years?

Ismail: I expect electronics recycling rates and activity to keep rising domestically and globally. There will be more electronics waste, but hopefully there will be more electronics resellers, repair facilities and recyclers to prevent this waste stream from ending up in landfills. We also expect emerging markets & nations such as Nigeria, South Africa, India and China to have more recycling facilities. The United States and Europe export and dump most of our electronics waste in these nations that lack the facilities to process the waste. In my opinion, this is the biggest challenge and opportunity for the industry. The electronics waste generated internally by these countries is tremendous in itself and they also need environmentally friendly solutions for the disposal of their retired, defective and obsolete e-waste. We also expect electronics manufacturers to design products that are more sustainable, use less toxins and are easier to recycle. It’s a work in progress, but I remain optimistic about us as an industry in reaching these goals.

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