Sustainable Electronics Recycling International is working on updates to the R2 standard, with potential changes in a host of high-interest areas.
The group's R2 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) has been meeting to consider changes to the standard.
In sub-Saharan Africa, more than 182 million adults are illiterate, and 30 percent of young people are unable to read or write. Access to information and communication technology is critical to improving their educational and economic prospects.
Despite having a CRT glass recycling furnace in place in New York, Nulife Glass has for years had difficulty coming into compliance with state facility rules. 
A Midwest electronics recycling executive lied to clients to generate large sums of money and used company funds for gambling and other personal expenses, according to court documents.
Japan is anticipating a glut of solar panels, and India wants to set up e-scrap recycling facilities in every state.
Japan: 
New regulations are coming for exporters of CRTs, and an e-scrap collection program in Illinois comes back strong.
R2 data: 
Over the summer, the state of New York announced it would hand out $3 million in grants to help local governments recycle electronics.
The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) and the Bureau of International Recycling (BIR) are teaming up to provide real, comprehensive data on the global flow of used electronics.
"The genesis for this is that there is a need for a definitive study that provides data on e-scrap recycling around the world, 
A nonprofit e-scrap recycling firm is shutting down at the end of the month due to low commodity prices and lack of business.
This story originally appeared in the December 2016 issue of E-Scrap News.