Electronics Handled by North American Recycling Processors Declines

The volume of electronics to be handled by North American recycling processors is expected to decline, according to numerous observers.

As noted in recent issues of this newsletter, information technology sales are slowing down as businesses and consumers keep their wallets shut. Electronics producers expect fourth quarter sales to be lower than a year ago, with many IT users choosing to set aside purchasing needs and extend the life of existing computers, servers and other products.

At the same time, new IT products are getting smaller. For instance, a combination of market research studies suggests that domestic desktop computer sales will rise only one percent this year, to about 159 million units, while sales of laptop computers will grow nearly 31 percent, to about 135 million.

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Source: E-Scrap News: "Available e-scrap weights to drop". Nov. 26, 2008

EPA Proposes Adding Pharmaceutical Waste to Universal Waste Rule

The EPA is proposing to add hazardous pharmaceutical wastes to the Universal Waste Rule in order to provide a system for disposing hazardous pharmaceutical wastes that is protective of public health and the environment. The proposed addition will make it easier for generators to collect and properly dispose of these items as hazardous wastes, resulting in a simpler and more streamlined waste management system.


This proposed rule applies to:

* pharmacies,
* hospitals,
* physicians’ offices,
* dentists’ offices,
* outpatient care centers,
* ambulatory health care services,
* residential care facilities,
* veterinary clinics, and
* other facilities that generate hazardous pharmaceutical wastes.

The rule encourages generators to dispose of non-hazardous pharmaceutical waste as universal waste, thereby removing this unregulated waste from wastewater treatment plants and municipal solid waste landfills. The addition of hazardous pharmaceutical waste to the Universal Waste Rule will facilitate the collection of personal medications from the public at various facilities so that they can be more properly managed.

Currently the federal Universal Waste Rule includes batteries, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment, and lamps. Universal wastes are typically generated in a wide variety of settings including industrial settings and households, by many sectors of society, and may be present in significant volumes in non-hazardous waste management systems.

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Source: www.epa.gov

PWB Value Hits Lowest Point In 17 Months

The gross value of printed wiring board scrap in October 2008 was $3.57 per pound, the lowest price in 17 months, and down 10.3 percent from the September figure. The PWB value also was down 10.5 percent from October 2007's numbers. Year-to-date, the average value of board scrap is $4.08 per pound, an 11.3-percent decline over the same period in 2007.

This data represents the full metallic values of boards over time and are not the recycling values, as those values do not include the costs involved in actually extracting metal from boards, including freight, sampling charges, assay assessments, smelting, refining, process loss, return on investment, and penalties for various elements, including beryllium, bismuth and nickel.

These values are for the estimated intrinsic metal content of recovered PC boards. Some consumers label such material as mid-value. Lower-value scrap includes monitor and television boards. Higher-value scrap includes network and video cards, and motherboards.

The October value is the lowest price of the year, while the March 2008 printed-wiring board value, at $5.03 per pound, was the highest in almost seven years.

Source: E-Scrap News, Nov. 13th, 2008

Raident Technology Names John H. Choe the New CFO

Albert Lozano, president of Raident Technology, Inc. (www.raident.com), a leader in customized asset recovery solutions, has announced that John H. Choe has joined Raident as Chief Financial Officer.

Fremont, CA, November 09, 2008 --(PR.com)-- As a CFO, Choe is responsible for overall coordinating and training of Raident’s accounting department. His primary responsibilities include overseeing regulatory matters, tax accounting and compliance, and strategic planning.

Earlier in his career, John Choe held a series of operations and finance leadership positions at KMIC Technology, Inc., Fry’s Electronics Corporation, and Arthur Andersen, LLP. Choe earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from Santa Clara University and thereafter became certified as a Public Accountant (CPA) in California.

“I am very pleased to have found in John Choe the skills, dedication, and experience necessary to implement our plans for growth as a self-sufficient company,” said Lozano. “We look forward to seeing how his talents and experience will enhance our financial operations.”

John H. Choe commented: “I am excited and welcome the opportunity to help structure this company for growth and success where environmental issues will play a bigger role in our everyday lives, and Raident Technology is taking a lead on doing its part.”

About Raident Technology, Inc.:From its corporate headquarters in Silicon Valley, Raident Technology was founded to deliver value-added asset management, asset recovery, and electronic e-Waste recycling solutions. Raident is on a fast-track growth strategy to expand its processing capacity, by both organic means and acquisitions, and to establish a leading position in the global market. It is a member of key industry groups and is committed to protecting the environment while providing high-quality, customer-specific services. In a fragmented market crowded with small, unsophisticated operations, Raident remains a trusted and respected resource.

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Contact Information
Raident Technology, Inc.
Natalia Kleschevnikova
(510) 656-3622 x 109
natalia@raident.com
www.raident.com

The Wide World of E-Scrap — WEEE Edition

Criticism of the WEEE Directive continues, with one key player saying WEEE is "failing to deliver on its original aims." Speaking at a conference in Brussels, Belgium, Axion Recycling's (Bramhall, England) Sales Director, Keith Freegard called for the handling of WEEE waste streams inside of Europe, in part to stem the "level of waste being exported to third world countries."

It's clear that that the WEEE Directive is failing to deliver what it originally set out to do," said Freegard. "That the best treatment, recovery and recycling techniques should be applied to maximize material re-use and to minimize risks to human health and the environment."

A recent story on letsrecycle.com (London), has a WEEE reprocessors warning that the recent market difficulties — in particular the sharp fall in plastics and metals prices — will cause rising prices through the entire WEEE chain.

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Source: E-Scrap News, Nov. 6, 2008

Obama Win Bolsters Hopes of National E-scrap Legislation

With the close of the historic campaign of President-Elect Barack Obama, all eyes turn to what effect his win has on the multitude of issues facing the country. The growing importance — and media profile — of end-of-life electronics management makes it possible that some progress may happen on a national level. With the profliferation of patchwork state programs — 17 have been signed into law at present — will the Obama presidency see a national e-scrap bill in its own right?

"Obama's election opens up the door wide open for more environmental legislation," said David Daoud, research manager for IDC's Personal Computing, PC Trackers and Green IT Programs. "With his comment in his acceptance speech on a 'planet in peril,' there is no doubt the environment will become front and center in the next four years."

In an interview with DISCOVER Magazine (New York) before the election, Obama expressed support for "challeng[ing] manufacturers of computers, printers, and other electronic equipment to more effectively take back these products," leaving some hopeful for concrete action.

"The change in the administration and Congress can only bode well for those that wish to see environmental initiatives, concern about toxic trade, both imports and exports, and engagement in international environmental agreements like the Basel Convention," said Jim Puckett, founder of the Basel Action Network (Seattle). "Time will tell, but things are now more hopeful than ever that we will see legislation that not only requires manufacturers to collect e-waste and divert it from landfills, but to prevent it from being dumped offshore as well."

Though the likelihood of a stand-alone bill seems unlikely, something could get packaged into a larger bill covering energy, like with the recent passage of the Recycling Investment Saves Energy Act, bundled with the $700 billion economic bail-out package. "It will likely begin with a more proactive mandate for [the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (Washington)], but with the Democrats winning more seats, we are likely to see fresh federal legislation in the areas of e-scrap and electronic waste," said Daoud.

"I suspect states will fight hard to keep their privileges so as not to cannibalize on revenue opportunity existing, and planned, e-scrap programs generate," Daoud continued. "At the end, one should expect some serious changes in the way the federal government approaches environmental issues, and e-scrap programs are not going to be spared from this loud voice of change."

Consumer Electronics Association President and CEO Gary Shapiro released a statement today, congratulating Obama on his win, and didn't miss the opportunity to press for a national measure. "We look forward to working with President-elect Obama to find innovative new ways to protect our environment through such measures as a national approach for recycling and energy efficiency," said Shapiro.

Of course, industry will is not the only ingredient needed for a national approach. "Let's remember that the main obstacle to federal takeback legislation hasn't been objections from the Administration — it's been disagreement within the industry and other stakeholders about what direction the legislation should take," said Barbara Kyle, national coordinator for the Electronics TakeBack Coalition (San Francisco).

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Source: E-Scrap News, Nov. 6, 2008

November 1st - New Energy Star Compliant TVs Hit the Market

Consumers will be able to buy televisions meeting the EPA´s new, more comprehensive energy efficiency specifications starting Nov. 1.

Televisions that meet the new Energy Star specification will be up to 30% more energy efficient than conventional models, according to the agency. If all televisions sold in the United States met the new Energy Star requirements, the savings in energy costs would grow to $1 billion annually and greenhouse gas emissions would be reduced by the equivalent of about 1 million cars, according to the EPA.

The new specification requires energy efficiency when televisions are on as well as off or in "standby" mode. It also requires the use of external power supplies that have earned the Energy Star label where applicable.

An up-to-date list of models that meet the new specification is available at www.energystar.gov/ia/products/prod_lists/tv_vcr_prod_list.pdf

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Source: Waste News, October 31, 2008

New EPA Guidelines for Electronics Recycling Operations

The U.S. EPA has developed a new guide for electronics recyclers on how to run safe and environmentally protective recycling operations.

The agency developed the ·Responsible Recycling (R2) Practices for Use in Accredited Certification Programs for Electronics Recyclersö to promote better environmental, worker safety, and public health practices for electronics recyclers.

The R2 guide lists 13 principles to help electronics recyclers ensure their material is handled safely and legally in the U.S. and foreign countries, according to the EPA. It calls on recyclers to establish a management system for environmental and worker safety, develop a policy that promotes reuse and material recovery over landfill or incineration, and use practices that reduce exposures or emissions during recycling operations. The principles also call for recyclers to use diligence to assure appropriate management of materials throughout the recycling chain, including materials that are exported to foreign countries.

Details are available at: www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/r2practices.htm

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Source: Waste News, Oct. 31, 2008

EPA Rules For Everyone to Recycle Hazardous Secondary Materials Instead of Disposing of Them as Waste

Oct. 10 -- U.S. EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson signed a final rule Oct. 7 that will encourage businesses to recycle hazardous secondary materials instead of disposing of them as waste.

The new rule streamlines the regulation of these materials, mostly certain manufacturing byproducts and residues, and excludes them from hazardous waste regulations while limiting the eligibility to materials that are legitimately recycled, according to the EPA.

Numerous safeguards are being put in place, and the exclusion will not apply to materials that sent for disposal or burned for energy, according to the EPA.

Regardless, the Solid Waste Association of North America is warning its members operating landfills to carefully screen incoming waste to be certain no hazardous materials slip into the waste stream because of the rule change.

Details about the rule change are available online at www.epa.gov/epawaste/hazard/dsw/index.htm

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Source: WasteNews.com, Oct. 10 http://www.wastenews.com/headlines2.html?id=1223644670&allowcomm=true

Printed Wiring Board Value Drops Again

The gross value of printed wiring board scrap in September 2008 hit its lowest price in over a year, at $3.98 per pound. Though down 11.5 percent from the August figure, the price was up 5.9 percent when compared to September 2007. The average value of board scrap for the first three quarters of the year was $4.58 per pound, a 28.1-percent improvement over the same period last year.

This data represents the full metallic values of boards over time and are not the recycling values, as those values do not include the costs involved in actually extracting metal from boards, including freight, sampling charges, assay assessments, smelting, refining, process loss, return on investment, and penalties for various elements, including beryllium, bismuth and nickel.

These values are for the estimated intrinsic metal content of recovered PC boards. Some consumers label such material as mid-value. Lower-value scrap includes monitor and television boards. Higher-value scrap includes network and video cards, and motherboards.

The March 2008 printed-wiring board value, at $5.03 per pound, was the highest in almost seven years, with the lowest, at $1.62 per pound, in November 2001.

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Source: E-Scrap News 10/08/2008

Will the New Green Chemistry Initiative Influence the Amount of e-Waste?

Sacramento, Calif. — Earlier this week, California became the first state to enact a green chemistry program when Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the AB 1879 and SB 509 bills into law that call for the reduction or elimination of hazardous chemicals in products and the environment.

"The Green Chemistry Initiative is a 180-degree shift in how the chemical industry is regulated in the United States," said Peter Hsiao, a member of the Environmental and Cleantech practices at law firm Morrison & Foerster in Los Angeles, in a statement. He currently serves on the Standing Committee on Environmental Law for the American Bar Association, and is the former Chair of the California State Bar Environmental Law Section. "The state intends to make businesses show that their use and disposal of chemicals is safe, signifying a paradigm shift where companies essentially ask for permission, not forgiveness, when introducing chemicals into the stream of commerce. It may be the most far-reaching chemical regulatory law in the U.S."

Hsiao said the initiative's impact on businesses will be immediate. "Since the state's Department of Toxic Substances Control will be granted statutory authority to promulgate rules regarding the regulation of chemicals by January 2011, many manufacturers will now have to be prepared to revamp not only their products' design and production plans, but also their sales and marketing approaches," he stated.

AB 1879 establishes authority for the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) to develop regulations that create a process for identifying and prioritizing chemicals of concern and to create methods for analyzing alternatives to existing hazardous chemicals. It also allows DTSC to take certain actions following an assessment that range from "no action" to "restrictions or bans."
SB 509 creates an online Toxics Information Clearinghouse, a web-based database, to increase consumer knowledge about the toxicity and hazards of thousands of chemicals used in California.

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Source: DTSC News 10/03/2008

Data Center Problems - Studies Done

In this age of increasing server heat loads, proper cooling of server racks is a new challenge for data center managers. The key to reliable cooling in a data center is to meet the cooling air requirement of each server rack and to ensure an acceptable inlet temperature. There are many cooling solutions available, and choosing the right one that meets the practical and budgetary restrictions is not always easy.

A recent Gartner study has revealed that most IT users are lacking the complete picture when it comes to environmentally friendly technology and how best to pursue a greener future. In this study, Gartner offers an outline for the immediate, midterm, and long-term issues to keep in mind. According to the research firm, some of the immediate green IT concerns should include looking into advance cooling technologies and use of modeling and monitoring software. Some midterm issues to focus on over the next two to five years include green IT procurement, videoconferencing, green legislation in data centers, and corporate social responsibility programs. Long-term goals should include carbon offsetting and carbon trading, data center heat recycling, alternative energy sources, and green building design.

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Source: Processor.com. 09/26/2008

Increase Your Rate of Electronics Recycling

onger remains on the premises. Yet the importance of properly disposing of and recycling storage tape and other electronics media is not something that CTOs, admins, and others in the IT field necessarily thinking about a lot.

Unfortunately, though, making sure all electronics equipment is properly disposed of is something that merits a lot of concern. Breaking environmental laws, for example, can lead to civil penalties and, in some cases, criminal prosecution. Security risks for which admins can be liable are vast, yet many enterprises are unaware of what is at stake. Most executives in large US firms, for example, are unaware of the risks involved with not heeding environmental laws and the costs of proper electronics disposal, according to a survey by HP Financial Services, the leasing and financial services subsidiary of HP.

Then there are the environmental concerns of tape and electronics waste disposal. According to US EPA statics, about 235 million units of electronics products sold between 1980 and 2007 had accumulated in storage as of 2007. Electronics recycling is starting to have an effect on eliminating the amount of the waste that ends up in landfills now that several states have passed legislation mandating recycling. But while the percentage of electronics recycling is increasing, the EPA says, the recycling rate only increased to 18% from 2006 to 2007.

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Source: Processor.com. 09/26/2008

Raident Technology Has Partnered Up With Cimelia

Cimelia is one of Raident Technology's partners. Located in Singapore, Cimelia handles electronic waste, or e-waste. It mines a treasure trove of precious metals from what is seen as junk.

Buried in everyday electronics, such as computers, are minute amounts of precious metals such as gold and palladium on the circuitry. A recycler extracts these metals using chemicals and casts them into bars, to be sold to jewellers or, in the case of industrial metals such as silver and copper, to manufacturers.

Said Seow, with a chuckle: “Other people mine gold from underground, we mine above ground from e-waste.”

Her company has more than 10 contracts with multinational manufacturers, who ship their waste from as far as Brazil and Europe to Singapore to be recycled at Cimelia's plant. It can handle up to 500kg of gold production a year.

Seow estimates that, on average, 1kg of gold can be recovered from about five tonnes of trash, which may be discarded personal computers, office photocopiers or sub-quality printed circuit boards.

Here is how it's done. The discards arrive from Cimelia's 17 collection centres worldwide. They are sorted according to the metals in them and then stripped for components.
Cimelia does not recycle plastics, which are sold to other recyclers.

The metal parts are then fed into a conveyor-belt crusher, which chews the bits into flecks. These are tipped into tanks of corrosive chemicals, which separate the metals. The metals are melted and cast into bars.
Each 1kg gold bar is worth about S$22,000 (RM49,000).

But beyond the gold, there are environmental and business considerations.
Dr Frank Montabon, an assistant professor at Iowa University, who has worked with companies in the United States on their recycling practices, said manufacturers saved on landfill fees and derived revenue from selling their scrap.

One-stop recyclers such as Cimelia also helped manufacturers, as one of their main difficulties was having to deal with different companies at each phase of recycling, said Harriet Green, president of Arrow Asia Pacific, a large distributor of semiconductor components in Asia.
The promise in the business has attracted companies such as Florida-based Technology Conservation Group and SembCorp Environment to set up recycling plants here.

Raident Technology's Scholarship Receiver Goes to NY 2008 Fashion Show

Mike Feeney's Corset, NY Fall 2008 Show

Mike Feeney, one of the Raident Technology scholarship receivers, went to the New York Fashion Week Show (Sept. 7th). To see some of his art work as well as other Academy of Arts artists' work please visit:
http://www.mercedesbenzfashionweek.com/newyork/spring2009/designers/academy_of_art_university/index.html

Quote of the Day: October 1, 2008

Natalia Kleschevnikova, Quality Management and Environmental Compliance: "We are very excited about having this blog. From now on Raident Technology will be able to communicate environmental, industry, and our company news to our clients, readers and general public."

New Chemistry Bills Signed in California

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed two bills into law that will give state regulators broad authority to identify, evaluate and, if necessary, ban potentially harmful industrial chemicals.

A.B. 1879 and S.B. 509 establish the framework for a comprehensive "green chemistry" program to reduce or eliminate toxic substances in consumer products and the environment. A.B. 1879 gives the California Department of Toxic Substances Control authority, for the first time, to regulate chemicals in consumer products. The department has until January 1, 2011 to develop a science-based program to identify and prioritize chemicals of concern and analyze alternatives to the chemicals. The bill also requires the establishment of a Green Ribbon Science Panel to advise the department.

The companion bill S.B. 509 requires establishment of an online Toxics Information Clearinghouse to increase consumer knowledge about the toxicity and hazards of everyday chemicals. It also requires the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment to develop, through a public process, hazard traits and environmental and toxicological endpoints for the clearinghouse.

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Source: Skin, Inc. News 10/01/2008

Data Breach Notification Coming to the Europe

Deputy Data Protection Supervisor Joaquin Bayo Delgado gave the keynote presentation at the NAID-Europe/PRISM Conference last week. He forecasted that it is a matter of time before the EU adopts legislation that will require organizations to notify citizens when their personal information had been subject to a data breach. It was this type of legislation, first adopted in California, having now spread across the country and many other developed nations, that has been a major in heightened information protection practices over the last 5 years.

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Source: NAID News 9/18/2008

ISRI and IAER Merger

The merger between the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. (Washington) (ISRI) and the International Association of Electronics Recyclers (Albany, New York) (IAER) was finally announced.

Following lengthy negotiations, and still subject to various agreements and New York state governmental approvals, ISRI is now expected to fully integrate IAER's members into its new Electronics Recycling Division in the coming weeks. "I am very excited that ISRI and IAER are finally coming together to create a single, unified voice for the entire recycling industry and specifically for electronics recycling," Robin Wiener, President of ISRI told E-Scrap News. "Through the combination of ISRI and IAER, we can provide even richer, more valuable programming and service for our members."

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Source: E-Scrap News 9/30/2008

CIWMB Planned Rate Drop Enacted

The second phase of a two-part reduction in the rate paid for covered electronic waste in California went into effect September 16th, bringing the rate down to 39 cents from 43 cents per pound. The previous rate reduction — from 48 cents per pound to 43 cents per pound — took place on July 1st, along with a reduction in the stand-alone recovery payment rate, which was set at 16 cents per pound. The California Integrated Waste Management Board (Sacramento) lowered the rates paid for covered electronics following a review process that revealed a projected fiscal collapse of the system, had the program continued without a rate adjustment.

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Source: E-Scrap News 9/24/2008

Raident Technology, Inc. Establishes Scholarships at Academy of Art University San Francisco

Two students honored as first recipients of Raident Technology Fine Arts Scholarships.

San Francisco, CA, September 10, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Raident Technology, Inc. has awarded two Academy of Arts students the Fine Arts Scholarships. Lindsey K. Eisentraut and Mike E. Feeney, Master students in the department of sculpture, will spend the next year creating art out of Electronic eWaste. The awarded scholarships will offset the tuition costs and art supplies.

Charlene Módena, the Graduate Director, School of Fine Art Sculpture, commented: “I want to give my deepest thanks to Raident Technology for extending this amazing and generous opportunity to Graduate Sculpture students at the Academy of Art University. By examining and embracing the process of transforming and reconstructing eWaste, these two students will bring their personal vision to the creation of unique, contemporary sculpture works.”

Raident Technology, Inc., a leader in the field of asset recovery and Electronics eWaste recycling solutions, decided to implement another way of recycling – making art out of used working and nonworking electronics and electronic components. By creating art of out scrap materials, Raident Technology wishes to support Bay Area artists, as well as draw more attention to the arising pollution problems and encourage individuals and companies to reuse and recycle more than ever before.

To receive the Fine Arts Scholarships, the students had to present their art-work and come up with a project plan. The project plan had to include ideas and descriptions of the future pieces. All of their artistic creations will be made out of 75% recycled eWaste materials. As Charlene Módena said: “Lindsey Eisentraut and Mike Feeney will be dismantling eWaste, facing new technical challenges, and confronting unexpected artistic avenues. They will be expanding beyond the arena of “usual” and into one of discovery.”

Albert Lozano, President, CEO and co-founder of Raident Technology, Inc., who has spent his entire career in the electronics recovery industry, commented: “We reviewed a number of candidates, but Mike and Lindsey stood out with their interesting and creative art pieces as well as with their proposals of what they could craft out of our Electronic eWaste materials. Raident is proud to be associated with the Academy of Arts University and intend to establish an ongoing relationship between our two progressive thinking organizations.”

Within the next year Lindsey and Mike will be using recycled eWaste materials, like hard drives, PC boards, monitors, computers, heat sinks, and other electronics and electronic components to create sculptural display pieces and fine jewelry. Both Mike and Lindsey will be working individually, as well at together whose art will impress the human mind.

About Academy of Art University, San FranciscoWith nearly 12,000 students, Academy of Art University is the nation’s largest private art and design university. Established in 1929, the school offers accredited AA, BFA, M.Arch and MFA programs, as well as continuing art education with classes in copywriting, fashion merchandising, interior design, new media, computer animation, sculpture, graphic design, cinematography, industrial design, digital photography and car design. Students can also enroll in a flexible online degree program in art and design.

About Raident Technology, Inc.From its corporate headquarters in Silicon Valley, Raident Technology was founded to deliver value-added asset management, asset recovery and electronic eWaste recycling solutions. Raident is on a fast-track growth strategy to expand its processing capacity, by both organic means and acquisitions, and to establish a leading position in the global market. It is a member of key industry groups and committed to protecting the environment while providing high-quality, customer specific services. In a fragmented market crowded with small, unsophisticated operations, Raident remains a trusted and respected resource.

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Contact Information:
Raident Technology, Inc.
Natalia Kleschevnikova
(510) 656-3622
natalia@raident.com
www.raident.com