by Brianna Crandall — September 26, 2014—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized on September 23 leading electronics manufacturers and retailers for their outstanding achievements in used electronics stewardship under the Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Electronics Challenge. Leaders from Best Buy, Dell, LG Electronics, Panasonic, Samsung, Sony, Sprint and Staples gathered in Washington, DC, to celebrate their environmental achievements, which include diverting more than 220,000 metric tons of used electronics to third party certified recyclers in 2013—an increase of 7.6 percent since 2012. The amount of greenhouse gas emissions saved from this increase is equivalent to removing more than 8,500 passenger cars from the road for one year, calculates EPA.
Facilities managers and owners interested in sustainable sourcing and/or recycling for their electronic equipment can find the list of the program’s active participants on the SMM Electronics Challenge Web site.
“Electronics are made of valuable resources such as precious metals, copper, plastic and glass—all of which require energy to extract and manufacture,” said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. “Improper handling of discarded electronics can result in serious health consequences to communities and workers. The efforts by these leaders to collect, track and recycle used electronics is a great step towards addressing these public health concerns, conserving materials, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.”
EPA also recognized Best Buy, Dell, Sprint, and Samsung as SMM Electronics Champion award winners for demonstrating significant environmental, social and economic outcomes for their organizations and the public that go above and beyond the requirements of the SMM Electronics Challenge.
The United States generates almost 3.4 million tons of electronic waste per year—and that number is only growing, says EPA. By participating in the SMM Electronics Challenge, leaders in the electronics industry are rethinking business as usual as they commit to increasing the amount of used electronics they collect and, in addition, sending 100 percent of used electronics to third-party certified refurbishers and recyclers. Through this Challenge, the EPA is providing a transparent and measurable way for companies to endorse safe and environmentally protective practices for the refurbishment and recycling of used electronics, and to publicly show progress toward recycling goals.
In the November 2010 Presidential Proclamation for America Recycles Day, President Obama established the Interagency Task Force on Electronics Stewardship with the EPA as one of the lead agencies. The Task Force released the National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship report in 2011 outlining the federal government’s plan to enhance the safe and effective management of electronics throughout the product lifecycle—from the design to the eventual recycling or disposal of a product.
For more information on both certification programs for electronics recyclers and finding certified electronics recyclers, visit EPA’s eCycling Web site.
