GLR, GEEP Form Michigan Partnership
Roseville, Mich.-based GLR Recycling Solutions, formerly Great Lakes Recycling, and Canada-based GEEP (Global Electric Electronic Processing) have agreed to co-manage an electronics recycling facility that will operate as GEEP Michigan.
The companies have hired Jack Iwema to serve as general manger of GEEP Michigan. Iwema and colleagues from GLR and GEEP are currently studying prospective sites in the Detroit area to serve as the facility’s location. GLR, which has an 80-year history as a recycler of paper, metals and other commodities in the Detroit area, will bring its knowledge of private and public sector collection sources to the partnership.
"When fully operational, we expect to hire 50 to 75 employees to properly recycle e-waste in Michigan and surrounding areas," GLR Chief Operating Officer John Hawthorne writes in a recent company newsletter.
GEEP, based in Barrie, Ontario, positions itself as an "industry leader for investment recovery in North America [with] state-of-the-art recycling facilities and innovative equipment for electronics processing."
In addition to its original Ontario plant and the new Michigan location, GEEP also has plants in Durham, N.C.; Grand Prairie, Texas; and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Best Buy Expands In-Store RecyclingAs of Feb. 15, all 1,006 Best Buy stores in the United States are now offering electronics recycling services.
The Minneapolis-based retailer accepts most consumer electronics, including television sets and computer monitors up to 32 inches in size, CPUs, laptops and accessories, through its in-store recycling program.
Individuals can bring up to two units per day per household to Best Buy stores for recycling. A $10 recycling fee per unit will be charged for items with screens, such as televisions and laptops, though customers will receive a $10 Best Buy gift card in exchange. This fee does not apply to units recycled in California stores or to Best Buy’s exclusive branded products, such as Insignia or Dynex.
The program does not accept console television sets, televisions or monitors with screens larger than 32 inches, microwaves, items containing Freon or appliances.
Round2 Acquires PolymerCycle LLC
Round2, Grand Prairie, Texas, has announced the acquisition of PolymerCycle LLC, also of Grand Prairie, a national processor and reseller of plastics, including ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), PC (polycarbonate), HIPS (high-impact polystyrene) and PC/ABS. The company says the acquisition complements its "strategy to deliver a closed-loop recycling solution for processing e-waste."
Effective immediately, PolymerCycle is operating as a wholly owned company from Round2’s 183,000-square-foot facility in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, which also includes Round2 Monitex, the company’s CRT recycling division.
PolymerCycle sorts and granulates plastics for reuse in manufacturing.
Sims South Carolina Facility Earns ISO Certification
Global Investment Recovery Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sims Recycling Solutions – North America, has obtained its fifth ISO certification with the registration of its Salley, S.C., facility.
The Salley facility joins four other Global sites in achieving ISO 14001:2004 certification. ISO registrar NSF International Strategic Registrations audited the Salley plant.
Sims Recycling Solutions – North America purchased Global Investment Recovery in October of 2008, creating what Sims describes as the world’s largest electronics recycling company, with 14 North American locations and 39 facilities worldwide.
"The combined strength of the two companies provides greater opportunities for us and our clients," says David Ritter, founder of Global Investment Recovery. "We are pleased to be part of a company that also views health and safety issues as a top priority."
Sims Recycling Solutions – North America and Global Investment Recovery say they expect to achieve ISO certification at each of Global’s North American plants by the end of 2009.
"Sims Recycling Solutions takes environmental, health and safety issues very seriously and all of our employees undergo extensive training," says Steve Skurnac, president of Sims Recycling Solutions – North America. "Our ISO certification requires continuous review and improvement to the benefit of our clients and for the protection of our employees."
Sims Recycling Solutions – North America, based in West Chicago, Ill., recycles computer and telecommunications equipment and sensitive military electronics and also offers precious metals recovery and data security services to original equipment manufacturers, government agencies, the financial and insurance industries and other large corporate clients.
More information is available at www.simsrecyclingsolutions-na.com/services.
Explore the March 2009 Issue
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