Tag Archives: ewaste

New lamp made from e-waste

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E-waste never looked so bright.

LittleFootprint Lighting, of California, has introduced the HeronLED desk lamp, a highly efficient light fixture made from ABS plastic reclaimed from recycled e-waste.

This new lamp features an adjustable, ergonomic design, “warm white” light, and a replaceable LED bulb.  According to its manufacturer, the HeronLED uses 7-10 times less energy than your conventional desktop lamp

LittleFootprint Lighting, a pioneer of sustainably designed LED task lighting products made in the USA from recycled materials, introduced the high performance HeronLED Personal Task Light for corporate and home office environments earlier this year.

“The HeronLED gives buyers the first-ever opportunity to select truly sustainable, quality task lighting for the office environment,” said Nancy Wahl-Scheurich, CEO of LittleFootprint Lighting. “The HeronLED lamp is highly-efficient, made from recycled materials, is itself easily recyclable, and is designed and manufactured in the USA. We’re excited to bring to market a high quality office product that supports a greener planet and the creation of green jobs.”

Designed and manufactured in the USA, the HeronLED’s adjustable and ergonomic design features a replaceable LED bulb that provides “warm white” light, and uses 7 to 10 times less energy than comparable conventional desk lamps. LittleFootprint’s HeronLED is the first LED desk lamp made of recycled plastic from e-waste.

For more infomaiton, visit http://www.lfplighting.com/

 

California based recycler (e-recycling of California) faces fine for improper handling, storage of CRT material

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A California recycler must pay $21,000 for allegedly violating the state’s regulations for storage of e-waste materials.

According to a consent order filed by the California Department of Toxic Substances Control, e-Recycling of California was assessed the fine after improperly storing CRT glass in containers deemed not appropriate  to contain the material. Crushed CRT glass was found leaking out of the containers during inspections, DTSC officials said.

“Respondent failed to manage all residuals produced from treating electronic devices, residual printed circuit boards, and/or CRTs, in a manner that prevents a release to the environment of any universal waste or any component thereof, “ according to the document.

Specifically, the company didn’t tie the openings of CRT glass treatment dust bags, set up an  appropriate container system to capture the CRT/CRT glass treatment dust under the Pulse-Jet Filter Cleaning Vacuums and did not separate floor sweepings containing CRT glass from regular solid waste.

To see the consent order, click here: http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/HazardousWaste/Projects/upload/eRecycling_Irvine_CO_081911.pdf

 

 

e-Stewards retires “Pledge” program

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The “Pledge” program of the e-Stewards recyclers, used by recyclers wanting to support the e-Stewards certification standard before the full development of the program, has been retired.

“The evolution and adoption of responsible electronics recycling practices made an important transition today as the Basel Action Network formally sunsetted the Pledged e-Stewards Recyclers program on September 1, 2011.  Established in 2003, the Pledge program was the first widely recognized initiative designed to identify electronics recyclers committed to globally responsible e-waste management practices.  Toay marks its official and full replacement by the Certified e-Stewards® Recyclers program,” according to the Basel Action Network.

The pledge, officially known as the  Electronic Recyclers’ Pledge of True Stewardship included eight tenets of responsible recycling including a promise not to send hazardous e-waste to landfills, incinerators, prison operations or to developing nations. In addition, it promoted establishment of environmental management systems and material tracking and transparency throughout the downstream supply chain.

“In 2003, the world was just waking up to the horrors of e-waste export and the dire need for a means of separating good recyclers from bad recyclers,” said Roman. “I’m amazed the basic tenets of the Pledge program, identified by BAN eight years ago, provided the foundation for what are now globally accepted principles of responsible e-recycling.  The new e-Stewards Recycler Certification is even more comprehensive and accountable – really the gold standard,” said Lauren Roman, BAN’s e-Stewards Business Director.

When the Certification program was launched in April 2010, almost 50 companies were participating in the Pledged e-Stewards Program. These companies were given 18 months to certify or leave the program completely.  As of September 1, approximately 75% of the Pledged e-Stewards have either achieved certification or are under contract with a Certifying Body to be certified by 2012.  Among those that have not certified, some were not eligible as they only collected e-waste and were not doing actual recycling.  Four companies are working toward certification but have yet to contract with a Certifying Body.  Two pledging companies could not achieve certification, BAN said, and a third declined due to the program’s expense.
Currently, more than 140 companies are certified or are in the process of obtaining certification.
For more information, visit www.e-Stewards.org.
 

ECS Refining obtains e-Stewards certification

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ECS Refining of Santa Clara, Calif., has obtained e-Stewards certifications for its facility in Terrell, Texas.

“This is a significant milestone for our company. Many of our customers and partners have been looking for assurance from e-recyclers such as ECS that we have the highest standards and processes available in the world,” said Jim Taggart, Chief Executive Officer, ECS Refining. “We had been an e-Stewards Founder since the program’s inception, but we weren’t going to be satisfied until we secured the most relevant industry standard by becoming ‘e-Stewards Certified.’ In addition, we are continuing audits with our other regional processing facilities to provide a fully certified, national solution for our clients.”

The e-Stewards Certification was developed by a group of electronics recyclers, environmentalists, industry leaders and health and safety and technical experts working with the Basel Action Network (BAN), a non-governmental organization focused on stopping  e-waste exports. The e-Stewards Certification program, created by BAN, formally recognizes electronics recyclers that adhere to environmentally and socially responsible practices when recovering hazardous electronic materials.

“This designation is extremely meaningful to our customers and prospects. They can be assured that our recycled materials are processed correctly, safely and not sent overseas. Some of our competitors can’t make that claim,” said Mark Robards, Vice President of Sales, ECS Refining. “This certification publicly va lidates and extends our 30 year policy of being a conscientious e-recycling company which our partners, customers and consumers can trust.”

Companies pursuing e-Stewards Certification undergo audits to ensure they comply with the e-Stewards Standard and have a registered ISO 14001:2004 environmental management system in place.

“We’re proud to announce that ECS Refining Texas has received e-Stewards Certification. This is no small feat,” said Jim Puckett, Executive Director of BAN. “ECS’s addition to our network of responsible recyclers is particularly important since they have processes that not only serve generators of e-waste but also the electronics recycling industry. Having them as a qualified processor for other recyclers seeking responsible domestic recycling moves our mission of accountable recycling forward.”

 

Sprint CEO invited to write post on White House website

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Sprint was noted on the Obama Administration’s official website for its commitment to e-waste recycling.

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse.

Sprint CEO Dan Hesse was invited to write a guest post on the website for the President’s Council on Environmental Quality. Hesse wrote about the Obama Administration’s national e-waste recycling initiative, announced July 20.

“On July 20 the EPA invited Sprint, along with Dell and Sony, to Austin, Texas to be among the first corporations to publicly commit to follow a new national e-waste strategy. We were honored to join EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, General Services Administrator Martha Johnson, and White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley as they issued the National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship.

“The collaborative work of the EPA, General Services Administration (GSA), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the dozen additional agencies represented on the e-waste task force that developed the National Strategy over the past eight months is an example to all who manufacture and distribute electronic products. Sprint commends the Federal Government’s commitment to ensure that all electronics it uses are reused or recycled at a certified recycler. An e-waste solution will require on-going collaboration, shared commitment, accountability and meaningful action from companies in all sectors. I am proud that Sprint – along with Dell and Sony – has implemented sustainable business practices early on.”

Hesse described the company’s commitment to e-waste recycling in the blog post.

Sprint’s Electronics Stewardship Policy sets aggressive e-waste goals, including the collection of nine phones for reuse or recycling for every 10 sold by 2017. To date, Sprint has collected more than 25 million mobile phones— keeping them out of landfills, helping to conserve resources, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and preventing air and water pollution.

For the second year, Sprint received the Sustainability Leadership Award from the International Electronics Recycling Conference for our full-lifecycle product approach. On the design end, we have more environmentally-friendly devices and accessories than any other carrier. We recently launched our fourth green device and first eco-friendly Android phone – the new Samsung Replenish. It’s made with 82 percent recyclable materials, and is the first phone in the U.S. with a solar battery cover.  And it’s the first mobile device to receive UL Environment’s Platinum certification.

At the other end of the lifecycle, Sprint’s industry-first Electronics Stewardship Policy gave us the opportunity to work with environmental organizations like BSR, Basel Action Network and ABI Research to develop goals. The new national e-waste policy will enhance progress in the area of sustainable electronics management. Sprint’s commitment to the new national strategy will boost our goals in several areas including greater transparency in our operations.

Sprint is honored to be among the first companies to sign the new sustainable electronics management policy and to make our commitment public.

SGS to offer services to ensure compliance with new India ewaste laws

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Photo by EMPA. Supplied by UNU

SGS, a global inspection, verification, testing and certification company, is promoting its services to help ensure compliance with India’s Ministry of Environment and Forests new “E-waste (Management and Handling) Rules 2011.”

The new rules go into effect May 2012. The company said the new Indian regulations bear a “considerable similarity” with the EU’s WEEE and RoHS legislation for producers and dismantlers of electrical and electronic equipment.

The new law will apply to all those in the supply and usage chains, from producers to dismantlers of electrical and electronic equipment, the company said, and includes an Extended Producers’ Responsibility mandate for recycling, for reducing levels of hazardous substances in electronics and setting up collection centers. It is understood that this legislation is being promoted by Non Governmental Organizations and a few manufacturers who already have “green policies” that restrict most of the substances mentioned.

“As the law takes effect, the e-waste rules will require manufacturers and importers to supply only “RoHS compliant” products provide written evidence of compliance, and include details about the restricted substances in the product information booklet. Such reduction in use of hazardous substances in manufactured or imported electrical and electronic equipment shall be achieved within two years from the date of the act’s commencement. SGS is the market leader in RoHS testing and can provide a global compliance program covering the whole supply chain,” the company said.

For more information, visit the company’s website at http://www.ee.sgs.com/global-rohs-services.htm or contact:

SGS Consumer Testing Services
Asish Chakraborty
Manager-Technical (Multilabs)

SGS India Private Limited
15 C Hemanta Basu Sarani, 3rd & 4th Floors,
LMJ Chambers, Kolkata, 700 001, India

t: +91 33 662 66 100 -104 (B)
f: +91 33 224 20 745, 224 81 745
Email: cts.media@sgs.com