Domestic e-waste generation surges in Africa

By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling

A new report from the Basel Convention offers surprising insight into the role domestic generation of e-waste plays in African nations.

According to the Basel Convention's Where are WEEE in Africa report, "it is assumed that in 2010 between 50 – 85 percent of e-waste was domestically generated out of the consumption of new or used EEE of good quality with a reasonable life-span."

The findings are the latest in a series of studies that examine the flow of electronics in west Africa, with this specific study focusing on Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia and Nigeria. Despite several recent high profile toxic dumping busts, the report found that the majority of electronics imported into the countries were functional.

For example, the study found that 30 percent of the electronics imported to Ghana in 2009 were non-functional. Of those non-functional electronics, half were refurbished and resold locally and half were dumped. Independent university research, such as a series of studies conducted by Arizona State University, have corroborated these findings.

Like much of the developing world, personal electronics use has surged in Africa. Ten times as many Africans now have access to personal computers, compared to a decade ago.

The report offers several recommendations, most notably that increased domestic generation of e-waste is a recycling and refurbishment challenge that is not being sufficiently addressed. The report concludes by saying:

"High volumes of domestically generated e-waste require well-functioning local take-back and recycling systems. Challenges include the establishment of appropriate collection strategies, ensuring that high volumes of valuable and non-valuable waste fractions are collected equally and that those fractions reach appropriate treatment and disposal facilities. In addition, connecting informal collectors to a formal recycling structure is pivotal, along with appropriate capacity building and training."

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EPA budget takes hit

By Jake Thomas, Resource Recycling

Earlier this week, the Obama Administration rolled out its budget for the upcoming fiscal year, proposing $8.34 billion for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, $105 million less than assigned to it the previous year.

The president's "FY 2013 EPA Budget in Brief" makes only a few fleeting mentions of the agency's functions to increase recycling. But a section titled "Recycling and Waste Minimization" in the document mentions that during the upcoming fiscal year "the EPA will continue to advance the sustainable materials management (SMM) practices and a cradle-to-cradle perspective representing an important emphasis shift from waste management to materials management."

Additionally, it also states that the EPA will work toward the "safe handling of used electronics to increase the amount of used electronics managed by accredited third party electronics recyclers," a continuation of the administration's past efforts to address the issue of e-waste disposal.

Funding for the EPA's activities under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the law that gives the agency a mandate to regulate hazardous waste and to conduct other activities, rose slightly under the president's budget from $112.46 million for FY 2012 to $117.2 million in FY 2013. Specifically, funding for waste minimization and recycling activities conducted by the EPA saw a slight increase from $9.54 million for FY 2012 to $9.64 million FY 2013 in the proposed budget.

However, the president's budget is facing tough scrutiny from the Republican-controlled House and will almost certainly emerge with major changes.

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Regency Technologies, Dlubak partner on CRT glass

By Jake Thomas, Resource Recycling

E-scrap recycling company Regency Technologies has partnered with Dlubak Glass Company, a processor of scrap TV and PC monitors, on a joint operation that will recycle CRT glass.

Under the agreement, Regency Technologies will open a new location in Upper Sandusky, Ohio adjacent to Dlubak Glass. The companies are hoping that the arrangement will allow them to completely breakdown, dismantle and recycle devices containing CRT glass. Regency Technologies will dismantle the devices and send glass to Dlubak, which will process the material using a furnace. The cullet produced from the process will be used in road surface paving material, building construction and aggregate products.

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Certification scorecard

With the roster of companies attaining third-party certifications or audits continuing to grow, E-Scrap News has compiled a round-up of the firms announcing certification this past week.

• Premier Surplus' Cumming, Georgia, facility is now certified to ISO 14001 and R2.
• Greenstream International's Austin, Texas facility is now certified to the R2 standard. The location is also certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

Has your firm completed a CHWMEG audit or an ISO 9001, ISO 14001, R2, RIOS or e-Stewards certification? Email henry@resource-recycling.com to be included in this section and in E-Scrap News' quarterly directory.

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NewsBits

The board of directors for the National Association for Information Destruction has announced candidates for the 2012 election. The election will take place March 31 at the annual NAID conference in Anaheim, California.

Sims Recycling Solutions has renewed a five-year service contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to de-manufacture electronic devices generated by the massive government entity. The company has been providing this service to the DoD for the last 13 years.

Sprint, the City of Orlando, Keep Orlando Beautiful, Creative Recycling and the National Basketball Association are teaming up on an electronics recycling drive in conjunction with the NBA All-Star Game. Those that drop off used electronics will receive two tickets to the NBA All-Star Jam Session on Thursday Feb. 23 or Friday, Feb. 24. E-scrap can be dropped off at the Orange County Convention Center.

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E-waste part of massive toxic trade bust

By Henry Leineweber, Resource Recycling

Customs officials in Indonesia are putting the pieces together on the country's largest toxic waste seizure in several years.

In late January, port authorities in Jakarta inspected and seized 113 containers of mixed toxic scrap, falsely labeled as scrap steel bound for Hwa Hok Steel. When inspectors began opening the containers, instead of dry, recoverable scrap metal, they found a wet mess of various metals, dirt, asphalt, electrical wiring, plastics, printed circuit boards and other miscellaneous trash, according to Yuyun Ismawati of the Indonesia Toxics-Free Network. Not only is it illegal to import wet, mixed material into the country, but concerns that some of the dirt may have been hazardous incinerator slag, as well as visible toxic warning labels on some of the materials prompted the Indonesian authorities to treat the scrap as hazardous.

The containers appear to have originated from Europe, with 89 containers being shipped from Felixtowne, England by Stemfor Ltd. and the remaining 24 shipped from Rotterdam, the Netherlands via Diamond Bar, California-based W.R. Fibers, Inc.

A request for comment to W.R. Fibers was not returned.

Ismawati's organization was joined by the Seattle-based Basel Action Network and other environmental groups in urging countries to ratify the Basel Ban Amendment, which explicitly prohibits the transfer of toxic materials from developed to developing countries.

No charges have yet been filed, but Indonesian authorities say the containers will remain in port, pending legal action.

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Smartphones eclipse PCs for first time

By Henry Leineweber, Resource Recycling

In another sign that personal computer no longer dominates the consumer and enterprise IT market, smart phone shipments overtook PCs for the first time in 2011.

According to the latest numbers from market-research firm Canalys, OEMs and vendors shipped 487.7 million smart phones in 2011, compared to 414.6 million PCs. These numbers reflect a 63 percent year-over-year increase for the mobile devices, compared to a more modest 15 percent annual growth for PCs. However, it is worth noting that Canalys includes tablets, such as Apple's iPad, in counting personal computers. With those devices factored out, OEMs only shipped 351.4 million desktops, laptops and netbooks in 2011.

Canalys does not view this surge in smart phone shipments as sustainable, and expects market growth to slow in 2012 as vendors seek to capitalize on profitability.

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Certification scorecard

With the roster of companies attaining third-party certifications or audits continuing to grow, E-Scrap News has compiled a round-up of the firms announcing certification this past week.

• Telecommunications equipment recycling firm Shields Environmental, Inc. has successfully completed e-Stewards certification for facilities in Sanford, Florida and Concord, New Hampshire.
• Arrow Scrap Corp.'s Wheatley Heights, New York facility us now R2 certified.
• Powerhouse Recycling's Salisbury, North Carolina plant is certified to R2 and ISO 14001.
• Greenstream International's Austin, Texas facility is now certified to the R2 standard. The location is also certified to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
• Fortune Plastic & Metal is R2 and RIOS certified at four locations, including Denver, Colorado; Naperville, Illinois; and Tampa, Florida. The company's Hong Kong facility is also R2 and RIOS certified.
• Western Records Destruction of Boise, Idaho; Stay Safe Shred and Recycle of Sacramento, California; Media Services/Shred Time of Kansas City, Missouri; Dakota Data Shred of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Northwest Shredders, LLC of Woodward, Oklahoma; First-Shred, LLC of Carrollton, Texas; and Chesapeake Recycling, Inc. of Winamac, Indiana have all renewed their NAID Certification for Physical Destruction of Hard Drives.
• Associated Records, Inc. of Roswell, New Mexico achieved NAID Certification for Physical Destruction of Hard Drives for the first time.

Has your firm completed a CHWMEG audit or an ISO 9001, ISO 14001, R2, RIOS or e-Stewards certification? Email henry@resource-recycling.com to be included in this section and in E-Scrap News' quarterly directory.

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NewsBits

The Northeast Resource Recovery Association along with Good Point Recycling and the Association of Vermont Recyclers have developed a new initiative that will provide support and compensation for Vermont schools that want to hold free electronic collections events on their grounds. As part of these events, the NRRA will provide support and compensation for participating schools and hopes to target areas that don't have a permanent drop-off point.

Tech Week Europe is reporting that by paying for "recycling," rather than paying for the full market value of used IT equipment, UK businesses in compliance with the WEEE Directive are spending an additional 40-50 million GBP ($63 -$79 million) per year. The report says current recycling values don't accurately include the value of reclaimed raw materials in electronics.

As Valentines' Day approaches, don't forget that those electronic cards that play music or flash lights when your valentine opens them can't be thrown in the trash when their novelty wears off, at least not in California. As pointed out by TreeHugger, these cards are covered by the state's e-scrap law.

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China holds firm on rare earth metals

By Henry Leineweber, Resource Recycling

China says it is ready to defend its export policies for rare earth metals, following a recent ruling by the World Trade Organization.

On Monday, the WTO said China broke the rules when it imposed limits on the exports of raw materials such as bauxite, magnesium and zinc – inflating prices and giving domestic firms a competitive advantage in procuring supplies. While the ruling did not specifically mention rare earth metals, all sides view it as a test case for possible international censure by the WTO.

China, which controls 95 percent of rare earth metal production, has cracked down on unlicensed producers and limited both production and exports of the material over the last several years. In 2011, the country capped output at just over 103,000 tons in 2011, citing environmental damage and overproduction.

Rare earth metals refer to a group of 17 elements used in the manufacture of electronics, electrical components, solar panels, magnets and other items. The growth of the renewable energy and mobile electronics industries has created high demand for the materials.

A 2010 trade dispute and resulting export ban on rare earth metals to Japan attracted international attention and created a 30-fold increase in prices. Although the price bubble has receded by approximately 60 percent, many view China's policy toward the materials as an effort to maintain these high prices. Volatility in the prices for rare earth metals have prompted investors to both search for other sources, as well as rethink rare earth refining infrastructure investments, such as a refinery in Malaysia scheduled to begin operations soon.

Tensions over the availability of rare earth elements have prompted some countries, such as Japan and Germany, to devote research and development resources toward new recycling technologies. In the U.S., some members of Congress continue to push for WTO action, while others pursue regulatory options or alternative sources of the vital manufacturing commodities. The Responsible Electronics Recycling Act, currently in Congress, would provide grants to study rare earth metal recycling technologies.

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Printed circuit board value trends upward

At $7.78 per pound, the January average price for printed circuit boards was up just over one percent from the December value, thanks to a modest, across-the-board bump in metal prices. The average price of recovered circuit boards is still down from its all-time high of $8.47 set last August, but when compared to January 2011, year-over-year average price is up by 10.6 percent.

This data represents the full metallic values of boards over time and are not the recycling values, as those values do not include the costs involved in actually extracting metal from boards, including freight, sampling charges, assay assessments, smelting, refining, process loss, return on investment, and penalties for various elements, including beryllium, bismuth and nickel.

These values are for the estimated intrinsic metal content of recovered PC boards. Some consumers label such material as mid-value. Lower-value scrap includes monitor and television boards. Higher-value scrap includes network and video cards, and motherboards.

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CRT processors hit proposed rule change

By Jake Thomas, Resource Recycling

Some e-scrap industry stakeholders are expressing concern about the California Department of Toxic Substance Control's plans to recast of its regulations of CRT glass, which could allow the material to be landfilled under certain circumstances.

The changes in the regulations are in response to a lack of end-use markets serving the state, resulting in large amounts of CRT glass being stockpiled. However, some in the industry say that new ways to process CRT glass are steadily entering the market, eliminating the future need to make disposal an option at all.

Laurence Wood, the technical director of Nulife Glass Processing Ltd, criticized the proposed revisions to the regulations in an email to E-Scrap News, noting that companies like his have technology available that can extract toxic lead from CRT glass in a safe way.

"This justification is innocently naive because it appears that the stakeholders are not aware that technology developed by Nulife Glass can safely extract the toxic lead from CRT funnel glass at a cost level comparable to landfill disposal and create valuable recycled products which can be re-used rather than being dumped in landfill," wrote Wood.

The U.K.-based company sells recycling furnace technology that can process up to 10 tons of glass per day, and Wood notes that it would be better just to store the material until it can be recycled.

"Once CRT glass has been sent to landfill, it is gone for good and is never going to be available for recycling. In our view, the DTSC should review its approach with the proposed emergency regulations. It would make more sense to allow CRT recyclers to store CRT glass in a safe and secure manner at their sites for longer than currently permitted under the speculative accumulation rules," he continued.

The Basel Action Network has adopted a similar position. The environmental organization's executive director, Jim Puckett, has sent an email to DTSC saying, "Under no circumstances should CRT glass be allowed to be landfilled. Rather, it should be stored for future urban mining. Such storage can take place at landfill facilities but should be segregated with a view to recovery in future."

Mark Robards, vice-president of sales and marketing for Santa Clara-based e-scrap processor ECS Refining, says that his company, which is investing $2 million in a glass and lead separation facility in Stockton, doesn't support the revised regulations to allow for the disposal of CRT glass when recycling options are becoming more viable. ECS is developing a facility in Texas, where it has a refinery, which will be able to separate the glass from the lead.

"We believe that the taxpayers of California are paying a fee to keep this stuff out of landfill," says Robards, noting that consumers must pay a fee when purchasing new electronics that used is to support recycling.

Robards also worries that the DTSC won't have the resources to properly monitor the disposal of CRT glass. He is concerned that some unscrupulous might try to dump the CRT glass in a landfill not designed for hazardous waste and get away with it because the state's oversight is already so strained.

Marci Rodgers, ECS's director of marketing, says that she's not sure what prompted the DTSC to consider making disposal an option in the first place.

"We're kind of scratching our heads because there are definitely viable options to do this responsibly," she says.

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International Trade Commission looking at e-scrap exports

By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling

Ambassador Ron Kirk, the U.S. Trade Representative, has instructed the International Trade Commission to conduct a study of U.S. exports of used electronics products.

The research is one element of the recently-adopted interagency National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship, which called for better data on trade flows. The Commission will assess the level of exports for a wide variety of computing and display equipment, and will estimate the type, volume and value of foreign markets; the uses of e-scrap in foreign countries; the characteristics of the e-scrap volumes leaving the U.S., such as product condition and the composition of shipments; and the types of enterprises handling exports. The Commission will also estimate the market share held by exporters.

A draft report is expected by mid-September with the commission to receive the final document in February of next year.

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Certification scorecard

With the roster of companies attaining third-party certifications or audits continuing to grow, E-Scrap News has compiled a round-up of the firms announcing certification this past week.

• NovaStar, of Livonia, Michigan, has announced it has successfully achieved R2 certification. The IT lifecycle management company has also completed ISO 14001:2004.
• Mobile phone recycling company e-Cycle LLC is now certified to both ISO 14001 and e-Stewards.
• Commercial Records Center of El Paso, Texas, and Rocky Mountain Document Destruction of Salt Lake City, Utah have now achieved NAID Certification for Physical Destruction of Hard Drives.
• Gilmore Services of Pensacola, Florida, Columbus Secure Document Solutions of Salt Lake City, Utah and Sentry Data Management, LLC of Blackshear, Georgia have renewed their NAID Certification for Physical Destruction of Hard Drives.

Has your firm completed a CHWMEG audit or an ISO 9001, ISO 14001, R2, RIOS or e-Stewards certification? Email henry@resource-recycling.com to be included in this section and in E-Scrap News' quarterly directory.

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NewsBits

Mobile service provider Sprint has announced that all of its phones will now go through the UL Environment certification process, which analyzes products based on their reparability and packaging use. The carrier says it will encourage OEMs to improve the design of their phones and devices for easier disassembly and refurbishment.

IT data security firm Blancco joined eBay, Intel and Sims Recycling Solutions in celebrating Data Security Day on Jan. 28. The event is designed to raise consumer awareness on data security issues and offers tips and best practices.

Itran Inc. of Richfield, Ohio has acquired a minority stake in Sao Paulo, Brazil-based electronics recycling firm, Reciclo Metais. Itran currently operates four electronics recycling facilities in the U.S. and with the inclusion of Reciclo Metais, lists partnerships with nine other facilities around the world.

E-Waste Systems, Inc. and Zak Enterprises have announced a partnership to expand their geographic service area. The companies, headquartered in London and Santa Clara, California, respectively, say the three year agreement will allow them to better offer hardware recycling, reverse logistics and other asset management services.

U.K.-based IT reuse organization Computer Aid is criticizing the latest revisions to the WEEE Directive, according to TechWeek Europe. The charity says the new rules prioritize recycling and material recovery over reuse and refurbishment, in opposition to the EU's waste hierarchy.

YouChange Holdings Corp. has announced the Earth Day Electronic Collection Challenge, in partnership with Arizona schools. The two week collection drive will challenge schools to collect the most electronics per student, with the winning school receiving a $2,500 prize.

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Alcoa, WM join push for a national e-scrap bill

By Henry Leineweber, Resource Recycling

Two more members of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries have broken with the organization's stance on e-scrap exports and joined a growing roster of companies lobbying for the passage of national electronics recycling legislation.

Both Alcoa and Waste Management have announced their entry into the Coalition for American Electronics Recycling, a group formed to push Congress to pass House Resolution 2284 and its companion bill Senate Bill 1270 which would ban the export of certain electronic scrap to developing countries. The two companies join Sims Recycling Solutions, Electronic Recyclers International and Hugo Neu as the most recent high-profile ISRI members to voice their disagreement with ISRI's official policy toward the Responsible Electronics Recycling Act.

Despite the growing list of electronics recycling companies coming out in support of Congressional action, ISRI insists it still has the e-scrap industry on its side.

"Our position is still representative of our members' views," insisted ISRI director of communications Kevin Lawlor, speaking with E-Scrap News. "The majority of electronics recyclers are not in favor of this bill's passage and the overwhelming majority support ISRI. We hope members bring disagreements on ISRI policy to us so we can let them know why we think this bill is bad for business and what its real effects are."

Lawlor added that while he could not say whether the CAER or the Responsible Electronics Recycling Act came up in discussion during last week's ISRI Board of Directors meeting, he said the organization is committed to a strong presence on Capitol Hill and to working on a solution that will benefit the industry.

An official response from the trade body took this sentiment one-step further, challenging WM, Alcoa and others in the electronics recycling industry to develop a more comprehensive approach to responsible electronics recycling.

"[The bill] actually encourages the continued production of what CAER itself has dubbed 'dangerous toxic and hazardous substances contained in electronics' by handsomely rewarding the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who use these substances with a legislative carve-out, while criminalizing the same activity if carried out by a recycler," read ISRI's prepared statement. "Further, the legislation establishes an arbitrary line around countries and peoples, while doing nothing to promote environmentally sustainable practices where they are needed most. ISRI is committed to challenging OEMs to minimize the amount of toxic and hazardous substances they use in their products so that they can be recycled safely, responsibly and legally anywhere in the world, in a manner that protects worker health and safety."

Tim Frost, corporate communications manager for Waste Management, disagrees with ISRI's assessment.

"Our driving focus is to move the opportunity to responsibly recycle electronics across the U.S., and to develop effective solutions for this expanding resource stream," said Frost, in an email exchange with E-Scrap News. "Waste Management believes that the CAER membership shares these and other objectives, and that the core tenets of the Responsible Electronics Recycling Act provide a means to infuse the industry with additional job creating opportunities, while significantly impacting the shipment of certain hazardous materials out of the country. The support of the CAER has occurred after thorough review of the objectives and the alignment with Waste Management Recycle America objectives."

Kevin Anton, chief sustainability officer for Alcoa says the move just makes sense for the company, which became a minority investor in Electronics Recyclers International in March, 2011.

"Consumer electronics are short-lived enough where any product on the market needs to be highly recyclable and you have to have the infrastructure to handle it," says Anton. "After we entered into business with ERI, we began to do due diligence on many of ERI's activities and on its protocol with [the Basel Action Network]. This is the next logical step for us."

Anton said any lobbying or advocacy for the Responsible Electronics Recycling Act will be conducted through ERI, however, adding, "We're very supportive of John's [ERI chairman and CEO John Shegerian] activities."

Speculation that the policy disagreement had strained relationships between ISRI and its members were universally dismissed by ISRI, Alcoa and WM. CAER spokesman Paul Vetter also reiterated that the group is not in competition with ISRI.

"Our members that are also ISRI members think ISRI does a lot of things well, but this is just one issue where we disagree," Vetter said.

"ISRI continues to be a solid and impactful force in the waste and recycling industries and Waste Management Recycle America respects the vigor with which the ISRI team pursues and forwards its view on this and other issues," concluded Tim Frost. "Occasionally, informed and thoughtful organizations come to different conclusions on certain issues. That is the case in this instance."

In total, CAER now includes 48 companies that have pledged to lobby Congress for the bills' passage. Members are scheduled to begin meeting with House and Senate members next week.

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Could CRT glass go to California landfills?

By Jake Thomas, Resource Recycling

California is considering reworking its regulations to broaden how CRT glass can be recycled and to also allow it to be landfilled under certain conditions.

Regulations established by California's 2004 e-scrap law mandate that any company that handles CRTs, or CRT glass, can only send the material for disposition to either a manufacturer that will recycle it into new CRT glass or a primary or secondary lead smelter. But, as these two options become increasingly limited with demand for CRT displays drying up and capacity at smelters remaining restricted, companies that handle the material are storing more and more of it. In response, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) is revisiting its regulations of the material to broaden acceptable end uses of it.

The new regulations would allow other recycling options for the material besides CRT glass manufacturing or lead smelting. They would also permit the CRT glass or intact CRTs to be disposed of in regulated hazardous waste facilities or in landfills specifically designed for toxic waste.

"There's more of this glass being generated than people wanting to develop it into new CRTs," says Andre Algazi, DTSC's chief of toxics in consumer products. According to Algazi, millions of pounds of CRT glass are generated every year that end up being stockpiled due to a lack of end-use markets.

Algazi says that in other states, companies are using CRT glass for construction materials, such as fiberglass for insulation, which would be an option for the material under the new regulations. He also says that there is a process being developed to melt the glass and potentially separate the metal that would also be permitted under the new regulations.

Mark Murray, executive director of Californians Against Waste, says that his organization understands the problems with the limited end-uses for CRT glass and is okay with the revisions to the regulations as long as disposal is a last resort.

"We can’t make them eat it," says Murray. "If there's no end use market, and there's no place to take it, it's not [the processor's] fault."

He adds that CAW is against any change in statute or regulation that would allow recycling payments to go to landfilling e-waste or CRTs. He also adds that while CAW accepts regulations that allow CRTs to be used for other recycling applications, like construction aggregate, he hopes to see technology that can separate lead from the glass comes to California.

Although the revised regulations would allow for disposal of CRT glass, Algazi says that companies would likely be deterred from going this route because it would have to be sent to a more expensive hazardous waste facility or special landfill.

"If you have to resort to disposal, it's really going to cost you," he says.

In California, companies that process e-scrap covered by the state's e-scrap law can claim money generated from fees consumers pay when buying new electronics. However, companies that recycle CRT glass for purposes permitted under the new regulations will not be eligible for the payments, says Algazi.

However, Shelia Davis, executive director of Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, says that allowing the option to landfill CRT glass at all is a mistake.  She says that her organization supports the development of technology to separate lead from the glass and worries that having the landfill option present might prove to be a disincentive to finding other options for the material.

On Feb. 1, an informational workshop will be held on the new regulations.

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Arrow to buy TechTurn

By Henry Leineweber, Resource Recycling

Multinational electronics component supplier Arrow Electronics, Inc. has announced its intention to purchase Austin, Texas-based e-scrap recycling company, TechTurn.

Financial terms of the arrangement were not disclosed, pending final approval of the sale. TechTurn employs 135 in facilities Austin and Ashland, Virgina, specializing in data security, refurbishment, recycling and asset management. The company expects sales to exceed $50 million in 2012.

TechTurn will most likely be incorporated into Resolve, Arrow's reverse logistics and asset management firm, created a year ago following the company's acquisitions of Converge and Intechra. Some consolidation is likely under this scenario. While the three companies acquired by Arrow have a combined nine facilities between them, TechTurn's Austin facility could potentially overlap with the previously purchased Intechra's facility in Carrollton, Texas – located north of Dallas.

Requests for comment to Arrow and TechTurn were not returned by press time.

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Certification scorecard

With the roster of companies attaining third-party certifications or audits continuing to grow, E-Scrap News has compiled a round-up of the firms announcing certification this past week.

• South Bay Document Destruction of Gardena, California, renewed its NAID Certification for the Physical Destruction of Hard Drives.
• Access Information Management of Wailuku, Hawaii and Certi Shred of Waco, Texas achieved NAID Certification for the Physical Destruction of Hard Drives for the first time.

Has your firm completed a CHWMEG audit or an ISO 9001, ISO 14001, R2, RIOS or e-Stewards certification? Email henry@resource-recycling.com to be included in this section and in E-Scrap News' quarterly directory.

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NewsBits

Sims Recycling Solutions has spent $137 million to acquire a 20 percent stake in Hong Kong-based Chiho-Tiande Group – a scrap metal and electronic waste recycling firm. The move is SRS' first direct move into the Chinese scrap market.

In other Sims news, the company announced it will observe Data Privacy Day, Saturday, Jan. 28. Data Privacy Day, sponsored by the National Cyber Security Alliance, is intended to promote consumer awareness of data security best practices and offers more information here.

Here's something to chew on: In its quarterly earnings call yesterday, Apple reported selling 15.4 million iPads in the fourth quarter of 2011 – more devices than the number of computers sold by No. 2 PC maker HP in the same amount of time.

Wireless electronics manufacturer Kyocera has been recognized by CalRecycle for its recycling and environmental sustainability efforts. This is the ninth year Kyocera has been recognized by the state.

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