Atlanta/Toronto – Call2Recycle, Inc., North America’s first and largest consumer battery stewardship organization, increased its total weight of material collected in 2014 for an 18th consecutive year. With nearly 12 million pounds (5.4 million kilograms) of batteries and cellphones collected through Call2Recycle’s network in both the United States and Canada in 2014, the organization…
New and emerging standards can be daunting, but smart OEMs are taking the process step by step in order to make headway in addressing the demands from the Occupational Safety and Health Organization (OSHA) hazardous chemical standards. First, manufacturers need to begin by classifying their products for compliance with the Hazardous Communications Standard (HCS) and…
So, do you know where to recycle your used electronics? Is it easily accessible from your home or office, and is the program convenient for you? What you will learn after asking those questions is that most people you talk to will know they should recycle used electronics, some even where to take their used…
Researchers at Scandinavian research organization SINTEF have made progress in developing components that dissolve in water. Printed on a silicon wafer, the components contain extremely thin circuits — only a few nanometers thick — that are designed to transfer energy. They are made of a combination of magnesium, silicon, or silicon with a magnesium additive;…
As an industry, manufacturing has multiple ways of defining hazards and even more ways of communicating about those hazards. Designed to create a worldwide standard, the Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) has evolved in ways that create challenges for chemical producers and shippers. What is the GHS? The United Nations…
When I returned home from work last night, I discovered my wife, Gina the Gorgeous, happily working on our Christmas decorations. As part of this extravaganza, Gina was activating some battery-powered garlands festooned with LEDs that she was planning on draping around our front door (well, if the truth be told, she was planning on…
BANNOCKBURN, Ill. & WASHINGTON — The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unofficially released a final version of the 2011 proposed revisions to the Definition of Solid Waste (DSW) rule. Unfortunately, the final rule fails to provide adequate regulatory relief for manufacturers wishing to do the right thing by recycling valuable secondary materials. “IPC is disappointed…
I bought the new Apple iPhone 6 Plus to “dematerialize” what I tote around with me. The 6 Plus screen is 57% larger than my iPhone 4 (now handed down to my 12-year-old), enabling me to be connected and productive without a tablet, laptop, or e-reader. Use one item instead of four. Less is more.…
To get the most out of reverse logistics efforts, electronics OEMs need to create a closed loop system that maximizes product and material management. That can take time and effort, but can result in substantial return on investment. “Typically, when an OEM, who has the biggest responsibility for reverse logistics and the largest investment in…
For the good of the world and the good of the business, electronics OEMs have to figure out what to do with the products they make once the consumer is done with them. Most, however, aren't taking advantage of the potential benefits of a closely integrated reverse logistics process. Source: Reverse Logistics Association “Managing multiple…