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

Posted on September 8, 2011 by admin

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

New electronics recycling industry fact sheets released

Posted on July 22, 2011 by admin

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries has released its latest set of fact sheets summarizing the state of the scrap recycling industry, and electronics recycling is included in its data.

The fact sheets are downloadable and printable PDF files, located at www.isri.org/factsheets.

“The scrap recycling industry is not only growing in size, but is continuing to play a more and more important role in job creation, helping level the U.S. trade balance, and strengthening the economy as a whole,” said ISRI President Robin Wiener. “Despite this, many misconceptions about the industry continue to linger. ISRI is a clearinghouse of information about our industry, our members and how what they do is having a positive impact in local communities and around the world.”

In the U.S., the trade industry reported, the electronics recycling industry has grown from less than $1 billion in 2002 to more than $5 billion annually. The industry now employs more than 30,000 full time employees, up from 6,000 in 2002.

Last year, the U.S. electronics recycling industry processed 3 million to 4 million tons of used and end-of-life electronics equipment. More than 70 percent of the collected equipment is manufactured into specification grade commodities — including steel, aluminum, copper, lead, circuit boards, plastics and glass. Commodities are then sold around the U.S. and the world.

Equipment collected from businesses and commercial interested comprises up to 75% of the market, ISRI said, and the U.S. industry has plenty of room to grow – the trade organization estimates U.S. recyclers are currently operating at about 50% of their operational capabilities.

For more on the fact sheets, visit www.isri.org/factsheet

Tablets’ impact on the e-waste recycling stream

Posted on July 14, 2011 by admin

Commentary by Amanda Smith-Teutsch | Electronic Waste Journal

8.5 million.

That’s the number of iPad sales some analysts expect Apple to report selling during the third quarter 2011 next week during conference calls reporting quarterly financial results. That’s not results for the entire year – that’s just the third quarter. While Apple is one of the larger players in the newly developing tablet market, they are by no means the only brand out there.

Take into consideration all of the other products on the market - HP’s new TouchPad, Toshiba’s Thrive, the Samsung Galaxy Tab, high-end and entry-level products from Asus, products from Research in Motion, HTC, Dell, ACER and other manufacturers. All of these tablets – and the world’s insatiable appetite for the gadgets – are creating an ever-growing addition to the e-waste stream, already the fastest growing segment of the world’s waste.

Already the tablets have been appearing in the recycling stream – Sims Recycling Solutions reported its first unit in its recycling stream appeared in October 2010, five months after the device was introduced . As these devices age and are replaced, more will work their way through to the recycling infrastructure.

It’s a device that seemingly arose out of nowhere and burst onto the consumer stage as the must-have gadget overnight. With such a meteoric rise, it’s important to make sure tablets are included into recycling programs at the end of life.

In many jurisdictions with e-recycling laws, tablet computers were added into the same category as laptops or with other video display devices. Other areas, including more than two dozen U.S. states, don’t have laws governing the disposal of the televisions, computers, monitors, laptops or tablets – into the landfill with all of it.

Even at the end of life, these tablets and devices are too valuable from recycling standpoint to landfill and lose forever. Hopefully policy comes into place to capture these valuable devices before they’re thrown into the trash.

A shredder at e-Scrap Destruction in Islandia, N.Y.; photo from Greenlanches.com http://www.greenlaunches.com/other-stuff/escrap-recycles-ewaste-to-reduce-the-burden-on-landfills.php

photo credit : from Greenlanches.com and Sims Recycling Solutions

Hawaiian DEH recognizes cleanup by E-World Online

Posted on June 30, 2011 by admin

The Hawaii Department of Environmental Health has recognized and thanked E-World Online, of Vista, Ca., after the mainland e-waste recycler organized an effort to collect, ship and recycle 180,000 pounds of e-waste abandoned at a former collection site in Hilo, Hawaii.

http://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/sections/news/local-news/e-waste-overwhelms-drop-site.html

WILLIAM ING/Tribune-Herald Trying to make "no dumping" signage visible once again, Bay Side Computer Shop employee John Frost climbs Thursday atop a mound of e-waste cluttering the front entrance of the Kukuau Street business. He says he's made an effort to put out anti-dumping signs, but people keep concealing the warnings with their castoff electronics.

Bay Side Computer Shop, in Hilo, had a contract with the state of Hawaii to collect and recycle e-waste. However, after the contract expired nearly a year ago Big Island residents continued to drop e-waste at the site. With no space left to accept additional e-waste and no money to ship the massive stockpile to the mainland for recycling, the shop was forced to close. Still, residents continued to dump scrap computers and televisions at the site.

After reading an article about Bay Side Computer Shop’s dilemma in the Hawaii Tribune-Herald last May, E-World Online organized its manufacturing partners, Sony Electronics Inc., Acer America Corp., ViewSonic, NEC and LG, to fund the collection, shipping and recycling of the abandoned 180,000 pounds of e-waste dumped at the former collection site.

E-World Online and its manufacturing partners purchased the electronics surplus from Bay Side and paid the per-container cost to ship it from Hawaii to Vista, Calif. Additionally, E-World Online processed the material at its parent facility, E-World Recyclers.

“We purchased all of the e-waste on the site, and we also paid the cost of shipping to the mainland,” said E-World Online President Cindy Erie. “The state is in the middle of a change in how e-waste collection and recycling is handled, and E-World and our manufacturing partners wanted to help smooth the transition by ensuring this e-waste did not fall between the cracks. Plus, we wanted to help out a small business. Bay Side Computer Shop was in a tough position.”

“The Department of Health is pleased that E-World Online stepped up to take this e-waste from the Big Island. We are hopeful that other recyclers and manufacturers will follow E-world Online’s lead and provide collection services on the neighbor islands,” Steven Chang, Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch Chief, said in a statement to E-World Online.

E-World Online administers the electronics recycling programs of several manufacturers across the U.S. Its proprietary, web-based Manufacturer Interstate Take-Back System (MITS) uses a network of collection points and recyclers across the country to make e-waste recycling easy for consumers while fulfilling the manufacturers’ responsibilities.

New Hawaiian state laws require manufacturers of electronic equipment collect a certain amount of e-waste per year but provide multiple and convenient ways for consumers to recycle unwanted or non-working electronics. To date, 49 Hawaii-based recyclers have agreed to process e-waste under the legislation, but nearly all accept e-waste only on Oahu, requiring Big Islanders to pay shipping expenses.

For more information on MITS and E-World Online, visit www.e-worldonline.com or call (877) 342-6756.

Maine’s free e-waste recycling law expands to include schools, small businesses

Posted on June 13, 2011 by admin

Legislation that expands Maine’s current electronics recycling program became law June 8. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Melissa Walsh Innes, D-Yarmouth, allows Maine’s schools, non-profits, and small businesses with 100 or fewer employees to recycle their old electronics at no disposal cost to them. Currently, free e-waste recycling was only available to residents.

“The unanimous passage of the bill signals that the Maine Legislature is committed to protecting our environment while also creating jobs,” Innes said. “Product stewardship initiatives, like the bottle bill, create jobs by turning today’s trash into tomorrow’s products, and save taxpayers money by privatizing the waste stream to benefit society.”

The expansion of the product stewardship law will save money for Maine businesses, non-profits and schools and will reduce toxic ewaste going into Maine’s incinerators and landfills. In addition, an estimated 16-18 new jobs will be created at an electronics recycling facility in Auburn, Innes said.

“This program marries the needs of small businesses and schools, and organizations that operate under tight financial conditions, with protecting Maine’s most important resource, its environment,” said Rick Dumas, Chief Executive Officer of eWaste Recycling Solutions, a company that provides safe and environmentally sound disassembly, consolidation and transportation services for recycling and disposal of electronic devices such as computer and television monitors as well as many other products categorized as e-waste under local, state and federal law. Centrally located in Auburn, eWaste Recycling Solutions have the only Maine based de-manufacturing facility of companies approved by the Department of Environmental Protection.

“It is a clear demonstration of the business and environmental communities, government, regulators and educators coming together for the good of our state, and the immediate result is that eWaste Recycling Solutions will create 16-18 “green-collar” jobs. LD 981 is a win-win for every party that has been involved with the process,” said Dumas.

“This legislation is a victory for Maine’s economy and our environment,” said Matt Prindiville, Clean Production Project Director for the Natural Resources Council of Maine. “Not only will this bill grow jobs and reduce costs for small businesses, it will also keep millions of pounds of toxic materials out of Maine’s environment by recycling more electronics into new products.”

“Since 2004, this manufacturer financed program has recycled over 30 million pounds of electronics, 30 million pounds that most likely would have ended up in our landfills or burned in our energy plants, spewing toxic fumes into our air,” said Rep. Innes. “Not only will this bill help protect our environment, but it will create much needed jobs as well.”

Patricia Aho, Deputy Commissioner of DEP said, “We were pleased to be able to work collaboratively and cooperatively to facilitate opportunities for small businesses here in Maine.”

For more on e-waste management in Maine, visit http://www.maine.gov/dep/rwm/ewaste/

An advertisement used to promote Maine's electronics recycling law.

Indiana Electronic Recyclers Must Register With State By January 1st 2010.

Posted on December 3, 2009 by admin

Time is running out for Indiana’s electronic waste collectors and recyclers to enroll in a new program intended to reduce the amount of electronic waste that ends up in the state’s landfills.

Collectors and recyclers of obsolete electronics have until January 1st to enroll with the state’s E-Waste Program created by a law passed by the General Assembly this year.

The new law specifies that only collectors and recyclers enrolled in the program can work with electronics manufacturers who will soon be responsible for collecting and recycling the devices they sell in the state of Indiana.

Makers of computer monitors, laptops, and televisions must register with the state by April 1, 2010. If they fail to do so they won’t be allowed to sell their products in Indiana. This is a similar scenario with the controversial scenario in the state of New York, which is currently in litigation between the state and several electronic manufacturer trade groups.