The wide world of recycling

The wide world of recycling

By Editorial Staff, Resource Recycling

China launches a new effort aimed at recycling the large amounts of electronic scrap routinely imported within its borders, and a German maker of athletic apparel launches a new effort to recycle and reuse old clothes and shoes.

In China, producers and importers of electrical and electronic equipment will have to pay into a new fund meant to subsidize the cost of handling scrap electronics, reports Clean Biz Asia [1]. Handled by the Ministry of Finance and five other government departments, the fund will be used toward environmental protection.

According to the news website, subsidies will be offered for the "responsible recycling" of e-scrap as part of the initiative. However, the website casts doubt on how effective this new measure will be for a country that has been on the receiving end of much of the world's end-of-life electronics:

"The country is, however, the final destination of around 70 percent of the world's annual 500 million tons of e-waste [2], which is smuggled through the country main ports. While any attempt at creating a more circular economy is a step forward, it is hard to see how China's new e-waste fund is going to improve that particular problem."

PUMA has launched its "Bring Me Back [3]" program, which seeks to collect its products from consumers for recycling. The German maker of shoes and athletic apparel will begin putting out recycling bins in its stores and outlets in the country for customers to bring back used shoes, clothing and accessories — regardless of brand.

The program will be run with global recycling company I:CO for the project, which will help with the reuse and processing of the collected materials.

To return to the Resource Recycling newsletter, click here [6].