E-cycling not a sprint, but a brutal marathon

October 27, 2015, 4:47 am

≫ Next: Modular approach the answer to e-waste?

≪ Previous: Li-ion to take the world by storm

October 2015

Country:

E-SCRAP

Author:

Kirstin Linnenkoper

There is no way around recycling e-scrap as this waste stream will hit 50 million tonnes in 2018, insisted senior analyst Erica Rannestad, who is part of the GFMS metal analysis team at Thomson Reuters. This volume has increased by nearly 10 million tonnes since 2014 and the figure will carry on rising. If all electronics containing copper had been recycled this year, it would have satisfied five years of market demand, she told the recent E-scrap Conference in Florida, USA.

Subscribers-Only content. Subscribers can read the full article by logging in.Not a subscriber? Get immediate access to this article and many more by subscribing now!

↧

Modular approach the answer to e-waste?

January 12, 2016, 12:47 am

≫ Next: Driving towards the 'New Plastics Economy'

≪ Previous: E-cycling not a sprint, but a brutal marathon

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

'Product development shouldn't be hard,' asserts Nascent Objects' founder and ceo Baback Elmieh after pairing cutting-edge 3D printing and modular electronics with user-friendly software to ensure devices can be constantly reused.

Inspired by the huge volumes of electronics going to waste once a component part has become broken, the entrepreneur set out to find a smart way to keep the materials in the loop. 'Nascent Objects provides the only commercially available 3D printing process capable of metalising SLA and inkjet printed materials with high-bandwidth, high-performance circuitry,'he explains.

↧

Driving towards the 'New Plastics Economy'

January 27, 2016, 12:33 am

≫ Next: E-cycling in Europe: no room for 'cowboy management'

≪ Previous: Modular approach the answer to e-waste?

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

'Most plastic packaging is used only once; 95% of the value of plastic packaging material - worth US$ 80-120 billion annually - is lost to the economy,' says a report entitled ''The New Plastics Economy''.

The plastics industry will consume an estimated 20% of total oil production by 2050 and 15% of the annual carbon budget. Based on projected growth in consumption, a business-as-usual scenario would then result in oceans containing more plastics than fish by weight, it is claimed in the joint publication from the World Economic Forum, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and McKinsey & Company.

For more information, visit:

www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org

↧

E-cycling in Europe: no room for 'cowboy management'

March 8, 2016, 1:11 am

≫ Next: E-scrap market to be worth over US$ 34 billion by 2022

≪ Previous: Driving towards the 'New Plastics Economy'

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

Ireland is 'leading the charge' within Europe in the field of quality electrical and electronic equipment recycling as one of only three countries with mandatory WEEE recycling standards in place since 2014, according to e-scrap compliance scheme WEEE Ireland.

The organisation applauds the recent position paper from the e-cycling industry calling on the European Commission to make compliance standards legally binding across the continent. ‘Currently, more than half of all waste electronics generated in the EU are not treated in accordance with requirements of the WEEE Directive, which results in a lower quality of WEEE within Europe,’ says WEEE Ireland.

For more information, visit:

www.weeeireland.ie

↧

E-scrap market to be worth over US$ 34 billion by 2022

March 11, 2016, 12:37 am

≫ Next: Apple turns to recycled-content bags

≪ Previous: E-cycling in Europe: no room for 'cowboy management'

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

The value of the global e-scrap recycling market will climb to US$ 34.32 billion by 2022, a report from Transparency Market Research has predicted. This would represent an annual growth rate surge of more than 15%, with Europe maintaining its position as market leader.

In 2014, Europe accounted for around 29% of the overall electronic scrap recycling market. However, the Asia-Pacific region is expected to witness the fastest growth during the forecast period. ‘Especially countries like China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and Singapore offer several growth opportunities for the electronic scrap recycling market,’ it is suggested.

For more information, visit:

www.transparencymarketresearch.com

↧

Apple turns to recycled-content bags

April 6, 2016, 11:58 pm

≫ Next: Dutch take-back scheme shatters collection target

≪ Previous: E-scrap market to be worth over US$ 34 billion by 2022

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

Electronics manufacturer Apple will stop using plastic shopping bags as of April 15 and will switch instead to paper bags made from 80% recycled materials.

Apple says embracing recycled-content packaging is another step in its mission to ‘leave the world better than we found it - one bag at a time’. Mindful of the resource efficiency debate, Apple employees are being encouraged to ask all customers whether they actually want a bag instead of simply giving them one.

For more information, visit:

www.apple.com

↧

Dutch take-back scheme shatters collection target

April 7, 2016, 11:44 pm

≫ Next: Partnership to tackle phone recycling in Ghana

≪ Previous: Apple turns to recycled-content bags

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

Wecycle succeeded in collecting more than 110 000 tonnes of post-consumer electrical and electronic devices last year, the Dutch e-scrap take-back scheme has reported. The figure also includes light bulbs.

The national collection target of 4 kg of e-scrap per household for 2015 was ‘easily reached’, says Wecycle. ‘We collected 6.5 kg worth of e-scrap per inhabitant. This is a great contribution for the Netherlands’ progress towards a circular economy.’ In total, 66 000 tonnes of e-scrap was collected at municipality facilities - including petting zoos and thrift shops - and another 44 000 tonnes was amassed at stores throughout the country.

For more information, visit:

www.wecycle.nl

↧

Partnership to tackle phone recycling in Ghana

April 12, 2016, 12:44 am

≫ Next: H&M and M.I.A. sing from same recycling song sheet

≪ Previous: Dutch take-back scheme shatters collection target

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

Vodafone Ghana and e-scrap recycling firm Recell Ghana have launched an initiative to significantly boost domestic collection and treatment of discarded mobile phones.

The phone recycling project will afford handset users the opportunity to properly dispose of their devices and batteries at Vodafone shops across Ghana. The collected units will be picked up and handled by Recell 'in a responsible and environmentally-friendly manner', it is underlined. The partnership with Vodaphone will likely result in an annual increase in exports as a portion of the post-consumer phones will be shipped to third parties for recycling overseas.

↧

H&M and M.I.A. sing from same recycling song sheet

April 19, 2016, 12:04 am

≫ Next: Eco-design is here to stay!

≪ Previous: Partnership to tackle phone recycling in Ghana

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

Fashion retailer H&M has joined forces with international singing star M.I.A. for World Recycle Week, which is taking place from April 18 to 24.

The aim of the project is to collect 1000 tonnes of garments from customers across the company’s 3600 stores worldwide so that the recycled textile fibres can be utilised in new products.

Since 2013, H&M has been inviting its customers to bring unwanted and worn-out garments and textiles - from any brand and in any condition - to its stores, in return for which they receive vouchers that can be used in H&M shops; over that period, the fashion retailer has collected more than 25 000 tonnes of clothing.

↧

Eco-design is here to stay!

May 3, 2016, 2:42 am

≫ Next: Cosmetics get more of a green glow

≪ Previous: H&M and M.I.A. sing from same recycling song sheet

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

In the first quarter of this year, forty new Cradle to Cradle certifications were issued, as compared to 28 during the same period in 2015; a 40% increase for the US-based Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute.

There are now over 400 active Cradle to Cradle certifications, covering more than 3000 products across a wide variety of industries including construction, fashion and furniture. Nearly 200 leading brands around the world – like Puma and Nike – are already involved in the certification programme, supported by 16 global product assessment bodies.

For more information, visit:

www.c2ccertified.org

↧

Cosmetics get more of a green glow

August 9, 2016, 12:35 am

≫ Next: Grounds for concern over coffee cup recycling?

≪ Previous: Eco-design is here to stay!

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

Consumer electronics may be a multi-billion dollar industry, but the same goes for the cosmetics sector, which was worth US$ 460 billion in 2014 and is estimated to reach US$ 675 billion by 2020 – growing at a rate of 6.4%. According to TerraCycle founder Tom Szaky, the link between the cosmetics and recycling market will become a lot stronger now big brands are noticing that one of the fastest growing influences on consumer purchasing behaviour are a sustainable reputation.

Difficult-to-recycle waste streams including cosmetics packaging are 'not typically profitable' to recycle in the current infrastructure, laments Szaky. While it is technically possible to recycle them, the packaging in question is quite hard to clean and is often comprised of mixed materials, mostly plastics and some metal elements.

↧

Grounds for concern over coffee cup recycling?

August 16, 2016, 12:41 am

≫ Next: EC recycling rate calculation methods 'not suitable'

≪ Previous: Cosmetics get more of a green glow

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

The Recycling Association in the UK has warned that efforts to recycle more hot drinks cups could lead to increased contamination when recycling cardboard or newspapers and magazines.

When people throw away such cups, they will assume they should be recycled in existing, separate paper recycling bins and containers, it is argued. The Recycling Association’s Simon Ellin comments: ‘We need to be very careful that more recycling of cardboard coffee cups does not lead to more contamination of the rest of the paper recycling stream.’

For more information, visit:

www.therecyclingassociation.com

↧

EC recycling rate calculation methods 'not suitable'

August 17, 2016, 12:32 am

≫ Next: Rock 'n' roll meets recycling

≪ Previous: Grounds for concern over coffee cup recycling?

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

Europe’s electronics manufacturing and recycling industries have called for consistency in the calculation of recycling rates.

According to home appliance industry organisation CECED, electronics producers body DIGITALEUROPE, e-scrap recyclers association EERA and the WEEE Forum, the European Commission proposal for calculating recycling rates will ‘not support’ the transition towards a circular economy.

↧

Rock 'n' roll meets recycling

August 19, 2016, 12:19 am

≫ Next: Frugalpac's new slant on recyclable paper cup

≪ Previous: EC recycling rate calculation methods 'not suitable'

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

Among musicians, D’Addario is a household name as it has been manufacturing instrument strings for over three centuries. Its factory in Long Island, USA, operates ‘around the clock’ to create 700 000 strings per day. Now the company has launched the world’s first-ever collection scheme for used strings called “PlayBack” to make sure all of them are properly recycled.

More than 2.6 million guitars were purchased in the USA last year, representing over US$ 1 billion in sales revenues. Meanwhile, no less than 1.5 million pounds (approaching 700 tonnes) of instrument strings are dumped in American landfills on an annual basis. ‘That is as much as two and a half Statues of Liberty,’ D’Addario comments.

For more information, visit:

www.daddario.com

↧

Frugalpac's new slant on recyclable paper cup

August 22, 2016, 12:56 am

≫ Next: Consumers want more recycling, not more new phones

≪ Previous: Rock 'n' roll meets recycling

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

Frugalpac, which specialises in developing sustainable packaging, says its new recycled paper cup is an answer to one of the UK's growing waste problems - namely, the 2.5 billion coffee cups disposed of countrywide every year.

According to the manufacturer, there are only two sites in the UK where conventional paper cups can be recycled, meaning that only one in 400 cups actually go back into the material loop.

For more information, visit:

www.frugalpac.com

↧

Consumers want more recycling, not more new phones

August 23, 2016, 12:35 am

≫ Next: How to predict battery recycling success in 'elusive' US market

≪ Previous: Frugalpac's new slant on recyclable paper cup

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

A larger display, thinner case, better camera - three reasons why consumers abandon their old phones and switch to the latest model. At least, that’s what the manufacturers claim. A new survey by Greenpeace reveals that, in reality, consumers aren’t that desperate to replace their mobile handsets. It turns out that ever more people consider ‘better service’ to be the top priority, and that includes phone recycling schemes.

Of the 6000 people surveyed across the USA, Mexico, Russia, Germany, China and South Korea, more than half of respondents said manufacturers release 'too many' new models of mobile phones.

The percentage was as high as 76% in Mexico while some 69% of interviewees in Germany and Russia claimed they would have no problem in keeping their existing phones for longer. In fact, the general consensus (90%) was that a phone ‘designed to last’ was of utmost importance.

For more information, visit:

www.greenpeace.org

↧

How to predict battery recycling success in 'elusive' US market

September 30, 2016, 2:11 am

≫ Next: Deposit to boost Dutch jeans recycling?

≪ Previous: Consumers want more recycling, not more new phones

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

Judging how well a consumer battery collection and recycling programme is performing sounds easier than it truly is, according to Carl Smith, ceo of Call2Recycle. ‘Estimating sales of consumer batteries into any given market, as well as determining the amount available for collection is complex and elusive,’ he told delegates at the annual Conference for Battery Recycling in Antwerp.

Around 6.7 billion batteries were sold into US markets in 2014, weighing 242.7 million kilograms, said a new report commissioned by North American battery collection scheme Call2Recycle, which recycled a record 3.3 million kilograms (7.3 million pounds) of single-use and rechargeable batteries recycled in the first six months of this year.

For more information, visit:

www.call2recycle.org

↧

Deposit to boost Dutch jeans recycling?

October 20, 2016, 1:31 am

≫ Next: Ferrous scrap to gain 'maximum traction' in US$ 406 billion metals market

≪ Previous: How to predict battery recycling success in 'elusive' US market

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

A pair of jeans should come with a Euro 2.50 deposit to encourage greater recycling, proclaims the Netherlands’ regional minister for the economy Michiel Scheffer and sustainable entrepreneurship specialist Professor Jan Jonker.

The levy proposed on the 20 million pairs of jeans sold each year in the Netherlands would repair a hole in the recycling market as far as jeans are concerned, it is argued. ‘Only 15% are reused, and a deposit scheme could increase the rates,’ according to Scheffer and Jonker.

↧

Ferrous scrap to gain 'maximum traction' in US$ 406 billion metals market

November 4, 2016, 1:32 am

≫ Next: Hilton recycles 500 000 kg of used soap

≪ Previous: Deposit to boost Dutch jeans recycling?

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

The metal recycling market size is projected to grow from US$ 277.12 billion in 2015 to US$ 406.16 billion by 2020, according to a new report by Market and Markets. This represents a compound annual growth rate of 7.95%, which is attributed to ‘rapidly increasing’ need for metal products in light of accelerated urbanisation, growth in infrastructural activities, and increasing industrialisation.

Ferrous metal recycling is said to gain 'maximum traction' during the forecast period. The use of scrap in steel production has formed an 'integral part' of the steel making industry, with an estimated 40% of steel production made from scrap, the report points out.

One ton of recycled steel saves 642 Kwh of energy, 1.8 barrels of oil, 10.9 million Btus of energy, and 4 cubic yards of landfill space.

For more information, visit:

www.marketsandmarkets.com

↧

Hilton recycles 500 000 kg of used soap

December 5, 2016, 12:58 am

≫ Next: IKEA to buy 150-plus balers for its growing scrap volumes

≪ Previous: Ferrous scrap to gain 'maximum traction' in US$ 406 billion metals market

Top-News:

Teaser-Pics

Teaser-Bild 4z3:

Teaser Text:

The Hilton hotel chain is forging ahead with its soap recycling initiative. Some 750 properties across its brands will shortly begin recovering discarded soap and amenity bottles, donating them to reduce hygiene-related illnesses for communities in need. This represents a major expansion of what is claimed to be the industry's largest soap recycling programme involving the participation of some 1400 hotels, or nearly 15% of Hilton's portfolio.

The hotels' used soaps are shipped to Clean the World's collection and recycling centres where they are processed, remanufactured into new soap bars and prepared for distribution to homeless shelters, community centres and medical facilities in developing countries. For example, Hilton’s recycled soap has been donated recently to a hospital at Guayaquil in Ecuador.

↧

Latest Images