During recent “On the Road” video series in San Jose, Calif., TMCnet’s Group Editorial Director Erik Linask (News - Alert) met with Stephen Skurnac, president of Sims Recycling Solutions, Americas. Sims is a subsidiary of Sims Metal Management. Welcoming Skurnac to TMC’s “On the Road” newsroom, Linask asked Sims president to shed some light on electronics waste recycling.
Skurnac quickly responded by saying that Sims is the world's largest electrical and electronics recovery and recycling company with 42 sites across the globe. The company recycles all types of electronic equipment and enables businesses to meet both their social and legal obligations in the treatment of surplus electronics.
Continuing the discussion, Linask was next interested in knowing how much electronics waste are companies recycling? Skurnac said companies are doing a pretty good job. “They are sensitive to data stored on equipment and on desktops. Hence, lot of companies like to refresh their equipment on a regular cycle,” stated Skurnac.
“It used to be 2-3 years, but now they are stretching it longer,” added Skurnac. “Corporations are pretty good about recycling their equipment.”
However, the problem starts when the equipment leaves company premises. In Skurnac’s opinion not all corporations do a thorough job of investigation when the equipment ends up at a recycling plant at the end of life.
What about consumers? “Is is becoming an issue because consumers have lot of electronic equipments (computers, printers, TVs, phones, etc.) at home today,” noted Skurnac. “We don’t know what to do with it,” continued Skurnac. “About half of the States in the US have enacted legislation that mandates recycling of electronic goods. But, most of the States have put the responsibility back on the manufacturers. So, it is up to the manufacturers to collect the material and recycle it via responsible recyclers,” added Skurnac.
The discussion then turned towards environmental impact of electronics waste. The US generates about 3 million tons of electronics waste a year and only 15 percent of that waste is recycled in the US ever year. The balance is land filled or exported to developing countries for recycling. “In many cases, it is recycled using dangerous methods exposing workers to real toxins,” asserted Skurnac.
So on data security side, as well as on environmental side, who bears responsibility for educating consumers was the last question? On the data security side, he stated, “It is up to the manufacturers. They should provide some instructions how to erase that data or treat it responsibly at the end of life.”
On the recycling side, Skurnac continued, “It is both manufacturers and consumers. Manufacturers must better design the product so it can be recycled easily, as well as educate their customers how it can be recycled responsibly.”
Similarly, concluded Skurnac, “Consumers must find recyclers and make sure that the equipment collected will be recycled in a responsible way.”
Ashok Bindra is a veteran writer and editor with more than 25 years of editorial experience covering RF/wireless technologies, semiconductors and power electronics. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.Edited by
Jennifer Russell
