Electronics

NRC HONORS ELECTRONICS RECYCLERS

The National Recycling Coalition (NRC), Washington, recognized two electronics recyclers with awards at its 23rd Annual Congress & Exposition in San Francisco at Moscone Convention Center.

The NRC recognized RetroBox of Columbus, Ohio, an information technology remarketing and disposal firm, as "Outstanding Minority Business," while ReCellular Inc. of Dexter, Mich., was honored with the association’s "Outstanding Market Development" award.

The NRC presented the award to RetroBox for outstanding leadership and achievement in recycling for the past three years. The criteria the NRC used in determining the award included coverage and longevity within the industry, innovation in meeting needs, a documented effect on recycling, program economics, education and outreach and demonstration of leadership within the recycling field

"For RetroBox to win this award is a significant recognition in both the minority and recycling communities," Stampp Corbin, president and CEO of RetroBox, says. "The demand for outsourced computer retirement and recycling services has allowed RetroBox to grow exponentially, and in turn, enabled us to serve as a role model for other minority owned businesses in this industry." 

RetroBox has a zero-landfill policy and remarkets a significant percentage of the IT equipment it collects from Fortune 500 and 1,000 organizations, such as Starbucks, and by routing the balance through downstream recycling partners that are dedicated to reuse and to EPA-compliant disposal.

Strategic Account Manager – Donation Programs Jenifer Chambers and Chief Environmental Officer Gary Straus accepted the award for ReCellular. The company, based in Dexter, Mich., is a leading collector, reseller and recycler of used wireless phones and accessories.

As the winner in the market development category, ReCellular was honored for the environmental and social benefits of cell phone recycling. The company processed more than 4 million phones and wireless accessories last year, has supplied phones to countries all over the world, and has responsibly recycled hundreds of tons of scrap.

CELL PHONE RECYCLING BILL SIGNED INTO LAW

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed AB-2901, which requires retailers to take back obsolete cell phones at no cost to consumers, into law in California. California is the first state in the country to pass such legislation.

The Cell Phone Recycling Act makes it unlawful to sell a cellular phone in California after July 1, 2006, unless the retailer has a system in place for the collection of used phones for reuse, recycling or proper disposal.

The measure requires producers and consumers to absorb all the costs associated with the proper management of obsolete cell phones by, at or before purchase, rather than upon disposal. The legislation also calls for cell phone manufacturers to reduce and, to the extent possible, phase out the use of hazardous materials in cell phones.

Read Next

C&D News

November 2004
Explore the November 2004 Issue

Check out more from this issue and find your next story to read.