News

E-scrap import enforcement action by the Malaysian government drew reader interest last month, as did a lithium-ion battery recycling startup, the ongoing legal saga of Closed Loop CRT suppliers, an e-plastics processing line and a company's inaugural sustainability report.

Two battery recycling projects will add drop-off locations at hundreds of Staples and Batteries Plus across the country thanks to U.S. Department of Energy funds, the agency announced this week.

The Remade Institute got a federal financial boost to develop online e-scrap workforce training in multiple languages, targeting roles that don't require four-year college degrees. 

The Basel Action Network this week rolled out a confidential reporting website seeking to make it easier for observers to report poor e-scrap management practices, such as questionable exports of devices and e-plastics, data security lapses and problematic storage or disposal.

Legislative sessions are winding down for the summer. Some bills covering electronics and batteries made it across the finish line this year, while others stalled out. Here's a roundup of what happened. 

Call2Recycle Canada recycled nearly 13.2 million pounds of batteries in 2023, its best year yet, the organization recently announced. 

Samsung collected 1.3 billion pounds of end-of-life electronics last year, its largest ever single-year global collection figure.

OEM Verizon is rolling out a program for businesses to supply their employees with smartphones, to manage those devices during use and to collect and facilitate recycling of the smartphones every two years.

Retail sales of IT assets refurbished by Cascade Asset Management grew in volume in 2023 while revenue declined, according to the company's annual report.

More compensation for e-scrap could help create a circular economy for electronics in Africa, but significant barriers remain, according to Footprints Africa.