How Battery Recycling Is Becoming Essential Infrastructure
It’s not that long since it was common practice to toss batteries into the trash. In some states, this is still the general rule. Across the country, battery recycling is moving from an afterthought to essential infrastructure.Each year, consumers, business owners, and employees throw away batteries rather than recycle them. The EPA estimates that 30,000 […]
How End-of-Life Electronics Affect Corporate Carbon Reporting
Almost every company has a closet full of forgotten electronics. It’s where you’ve put broken laptops, unused or nonworking cables, and old pagers or cellphones. While the electronics are out of the way, they’re still part of your carbon footprint. If you’re not including them in your corporate carbon reporting, you’re not fully doing your […]
Why Multi-Location Enterprises Struggle With Consistent ITAD Execution
How much thought has your company put into the end-of-life for your company’s electronics? Many companies don’t consider the value of strong ITAD policies until they face fines for data breaches.CNET surveyed Americans about their old electronics and found that 31% put them in basements, closets, storage rooms, or other out-of-the-way places because they don’t […]
New Year, New Compliance Risks: Electronics Disposal Rules to Watch in 2026
By the end of 2025, only half of the U.S. will have mandated electronics recycling. Many still rely on older hazardous waste regulations that don’t always cover the components of today’s electronics. A sustainable approach to end-of-life electronics is necessary. From the moment a product is planned, the materials required to manufacture it must be considered. […]
The Growing Threat of Data Leaks From Secondary Device Markets
The secondary device market is essential to a circular economy. It provides people with a way to sell or trade used or refurbished tech. Used devices have a lower price tag, making them affordable for those who cannot buy new ones. However, used tech may contain private information that poses incredible harm to an individual […]
Inside the Rare-Earth Element Recovery Pipeline: What Happens After Collection
Seventeen chemical elements make up the list of rare-earth elements. They are as follows:CeriumDysprosiumErbiumEuropiumGadoliniumHolmiumLanthanumLutetiumNeodymiumPraseodymiumPromethiumSamariumScandiumTerbiumThuliumYtterbiumYttriumThese chemical elements are in high demand because they’re critical components in batteries, displays, magnets, and other advanced technologies. China is the world’s leading producer of rare earths, accounting for about 69% of global production. The U.S. is second.While the U.S. is […]
How Environmental Regulations Are Shaping the Future of Data Center Recycling
A typical data center has several data storage devices, computer services, and a variety of networking equipment, such as routers and switches. As of 2023, U.S. data center energy use neared 176 terawatt-hours. It accounted for close to 4.4% of the energy used in the U.S. It’s expected that this number will reach 12% in […]
The Role of IT Asset Management in Building a Circular IT Economy
The average person discards 47 pounds of electronic waste every year in the U.S., which translates to approximately 500 pounds of e-waste every second. Estimates are that only 25% of electronics are recycled correctly. Low recycling rates are concerning for a multitude of reasons.While recycling rates remain low, the electronics manufacturing industry continues to grow. […]
The Hidden Risks and Costs of Retaining Legacy Technology
A company I know of uses a lot of the same technology that was installed in the 1960s when the plant opened. The company’s owner would rather spend time and resources trying to find tool and die specialists, electricians, and engineers who can keep the equipment going with quick fixes and patches that go back […]
Why Compliance Documentation Matters in Electronic Recycling
Electronic waste (e-waste for short) is a growing problem for businesses and individuals. In the 2024 “Global E-Waste Monitor,” it’s reported that 62 billion kilograms (around 136.687 billion pounds) of e-waste are generated around the world. It’s a lot.More concerning is that only about 22% of that e-waste is collected and recycled correctly. The rest […]