Electronics Recycling

West Virginia Congressman Alan B. Mollohan has obtained $3 million in new funding for the high-tech recycling initiative that West Virginia University and the Parkersburg area’s Polymer Alliance Zone (PAZ) are developing jointly.

The goal of MARCEE (Mid-Atlantic Recycling Center for End-of-Life Electronics) is to create an economical system to recycle plastics from end-of-life electronics.

The two organizations initiated MARCEE with funding Mollohan obtained in 1998. He has secured additional money for the project in the years since, enabling WVU and PAZ to partner on research of new polymer separation technologies and in development of new uses for recycled plastics.

"MARCEE is one of the most challenging projects that anyone could ever attempt," says PAZ President Buddy Graham. "We appreciate Congressman Mollohan’s continued support in funding it and his personal interest in ensuring that the investments of time and money are being spent wisely and will produce the desired result."

John Weete, WVU vice president for research and economic development, says, "This is a project with great economic potential for the congressman’s district and our entire state. We’re glad to be a part of it, working closely with PAZ to help create a full-fledged electronics recycling industry."

The money will finance ongoing research in electronics recycling. It also will go toward the establishment of the Polymer Technology Park in Parkersburg and the Polymer Research Center at West Virginia University in Morgantown. The funds will also support the expansion of Internet-based information exchanges for electronics recycling, a project headed by PAZ and Fairmont high-tech firm D.N. American.

United Recycling Industries Inc. (URI), West Chicago, Ill., recently upgraded the ISO certifications at both of its recycling facilities with new corporation-wide registrations for ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

URI operates one of the nation’s largest electronics recycling facilities in West Chicago and a full-service precious metals refinery in Franklin Park, Ill.

ISO 9001 is a quality management system relating to customer service, regulatory compliance and continuous business improvement. ISO 14001 is concerned with minimizing the environmental impact of operations and achieving continuous improvement in environmental performance.

A press release from URI says the requirements to achieve the combined registrations "assure the company’s customers that their materials are being managed responsibly from fiscal and environmental standpoints."

"Without proper management of the hazardous components in electronics, tremendous damage to human health and the environment in these countries results," Amanda Hale, environmental manager at URI, says.

Dell Inc., Round Rock, Texas, has awarded 12 $10,000-grants to be used to conduct computer collection events across the U.S. this spring. The 200 applicants included state and local governments, higher education institutions and non-profit organizations.

Grantees will use the award to organize, promote, stage and recycle computer equipment in an effective, free "No Computer Should Go To Waste" collection event in their community. Dell will conduct six of its own recycling events in 2004, also.

The recipients are: Anchorage—Green Star Inc.; San Ramon, Calif.—Central Contra Costa Solid Waste
Authority; Washington, D.C.—D.C. Department of Public Works,Office of Recycling; Atlanta—City of Atlanta, Benjamin E. Mays Center, Tech Corps Georgia Inc.; Kansas City, Mo.—Bridging the Gap; Jackson, Miss.—Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality; Santa Fe, N.M.—Santa Fe Solid Waste Management Agency; Albany, N.Y.—Town of Bethlehem; State College, Pa.—Centre County Solid Waste Authority; Columbia, S.C.—Recycling Market Development Advisory Council; Knoxville and suburbs, Tenn.—City of Knoxville, Solid Waste Office; and Milwaukee—Keep Greater Milwaukee Beautiful.

Grantees will receive technical assistance and guidance from the National Recycling Coalition (NRC), including strategies for developing effective partnerships for collection and selection of responsible recycling processors, fund development and media and grassroots outreach.