Revising R2

As part of the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) and the Pennsylvania Recycling Markets Center (RMC) Sustainable Materials webinar series, Sean De Vries, Sustainable Electronics Recycling International’s (SERIs) R2 director, presented on R2v3, the updated version of the R2 (Responsible Recycling Practices) Standard.

“There has been a number of people involved in the review and revision process,” De Vries said. “I think we’ve come a long way and made some good progress with the standard.”

R2v3, the third version of the R2 Standard, will be “more reflective of the time we’re in,” he said. R2 general principles will be maintained, but there will be greater emphasis on a few key areas, including improvement on how electronics are reused and recycled, data security and destruction and best practices for environmental protection.

“Everything really contains data, so it has to be treated that way,” De Vries said. “Small devices, such as cross-function devices that look like a watch but function as a computer, can contain quite a lot of information.”

He added, “Consumers have a higher level of awareness and concern around data. They’re concerned about breaches and mishandling of products, so it’s a reputation risk for organizations to not handle products properly.”

Restructuring the standard

Because of changes in electronic devices and changes in electronic life cycles, R2v3 will address a “broader” range of facilities that collect, refurbish, repair, resell, demanufacture, recover assets or recycle used electronics.

“There’s higher quality and new products available for reuse on the market from what we traditionally saw,” De Vries said. “We’re moving from focusing on an end-of-life process and end-of-life industry to a much broader industry.”

More than 800 facilities in 35 countries are R2 certified, with a majority in North and South America. De Vries said significant growth in areas of Europe and Asia, where many electronics manufacturers are based.

The R2 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) has been conducting a detailed review of the R2 Standard since 2015 and discussing a variety of potential changes. Most of the changes aim to “improve clarity” and “enhance existing requirements” based on lessons learned.

“As with any standard, you have to reassess them and ensure they’re meeting the needs,” De Vries said. Looking at individual elements of the standard, TAC considered, “Are there areas where we can improve clarity of the standards? Are there areas we need to enhance requirements and raise the bar and ensure the industry is doing the right thing?”

The R2v3 difference

R2v3 takes on a “modular approach” with a set of core requirements applicable to all R2 facilities, as well as new specialty process requirements. The 10 core requirements are like the current R2:2013, but are expanded upon in several areas, he said.

The additional process requirements, such as data sanitization and test, repair and reuse, recognizes specialty services and expertise. The result provides flexibility for how operations in the diverse industry can handle different material streams under the standard.

“R2v3 is not one-size-fits-all,” De Vries explained. “It’s meant to be flexible to allow the industry to operate the way it operates and still be certified. From a customer’s point of view, they will be able to understand the exact processes the organization undertakes and what they’re certified to do.”

The difference is a comprehensive risk management tool that “better represents the broader industry,” he said. “It is intended to be outcome-based. We want to see outcomes of the processes and procedures that organizations are actually processing materials in the right manner.”

De Vries said R2v3 would improve clarity, understanding of requirements and consistency of “how material flows through the standard," outlining each stage in the process, and "how that material is being handled” by all organizations involved in the process.

The draft will be released for public comment April 2, with plans for the board to adopt R2v3 by summer 2019. R2 certified organizations will be given a two-year period to transition to R2v3 by summer 2021. Organizations can submit comments and suggestions on the revision on SERI’s website or LinkedIn page.

“When people see the standard, they’re going to think it looks very different,” De Vries said. “Take a look at it in detail and see what requirements apply to your organization.”