SERI reports on status of revised R2 Standard

The revision is designed to streamline the standard for the industry’s different business models while maintaining its rigor and consistency.


In its recent “R2 Update” email, released Oct. 31, Boulder, Colorado-based SERI, the housing body for the Responsible Recycling Practices (R2) Standard, gave an update on the progress of the standard’s revision.

“The R2 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) met in Maryland earlier this month and made significant progress towards a draft of the next version of the R2 Standard,” SERI writes. “While there are still questions to be answered and changes to be made, consensus was found among stakeholders in many areas.”

The organization notes that the revised R2 Standard “will appear significantly different in its new structure” to better address the diverse business models in the industry, which include recyclers, refurbishers, collectors, ITAD (information technology asset disposition) providers and service providers that make up the global reverse logistics supply chain.

SERI writes in its update, “Many should see a more streamlined fit that focuses on the processes each organization specializes in. Data security is also a primary focus of the revision. This area, currently known as Provision 8, will be greatly expanded in the next release.”

SERI says it anticipates a draft will be available for public comment in early 2019, with a final revision to follow.