Washington, DC – The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc (ISRI), today said congressional proposals to ban legitimate trade of used and end-of- life electronics to leading U.S. trading partners would hurt businesses here at home and backfire against efforts to improve and sustain recycling operations abroad.
A House proposal, H.R. 2284, and its Senate companion, would stifle a rapidly growing market for U.S. exports, increase costs on small businesses by creating unnecessary, burdensome new regulations and deter job creation in a segment of the economy that has been a bright spot and has contributed positively to the U.S. trade balance. The Obama Administration has cited as priorities the creation of U.S. green jobs and increases in U.S. green exports.
A preliminary report from a survey commissioned by ISRI – the trade association that represents approximately 1,660 recyclers and the U.S. scrap recycling industry – shows that the U.S. electronics recycling industry has grown tremendously over the past 10 years, adding more than $5 billion to the U.S. economy, employing more than 30,000 workers and collecting and processing 3.5 million tons of end of life electronics. E-scrap is collected and manufactured into specification grade commodities such as copper, steel, plastics and aluminum that are used in lieu of virgin materials.
“We are very encouraged by the tremendous growth in this segment of the recycling industry,” ISRI president Robin Wiener said. “It is not a question of choosing between good-paying, green jobs here in the United States and the economic, health and environmental well-being of workers in other countries. It is critical to promote responsible recycling and to encourage positive intervention to turn the tide on irresponsible and illegal recycling. We have a unique opportunity to boost environmental sustainability, economic development and job creation in both the United States and developing countries.
Wiener added that the bill would hurt developing nations by shutting down their nascent efforts to develop safe and responsible recycling infrastructures; would harm efforts to build local economies and markets; and would stop the exchange of recycling technology and best management practices. “ISRI is committed to recycling responsibly and safely whether it’s done in Texas or Taizhou,” she said. “We look forward to working with the House and Senate bill sponsors to find the best solution.”
Eric Harris, ISRI Associate Counsel and Director of International and Government Relations, said, “Illegal polluters anywhere in the world – in developed and developing countries – should be put out of business. What some policymakers fail to understand is that most of the used electronics being generated and recycled in developing countries originate in that country, not from U.S. exports. For that very reason, stopping the export of end-of-life electronics from the United States will do nothing to solve the underlying problem of bad actors polluting the environment and instead will block positive efforts currently being undertaken by the U.S. recycling industry to promote and support developing countries in their efforts to build environmentally responsible and sustainable economies.”
Harris also noted that the electronics recycling industry has seen a dramatic increase in the use of third-party certifications, which play can play a critical role in ensuring used and end-of-life electronics are handled safely and in an environmentally responsible way. The marketplace is pushing electronics recyclers to become certified to programs like ISRI’s R2/RIOS™ Certified Electronics Recycler® program to improve operational controls, meet customer demands and secure a competitive advantage.
The Recycling Industry Operating Standard® (RIOS) is the recycling industry’s integrated management systems standard for quality, environmental, and health and safety (QEH&S). RIOS™ provides a powerful framework for scrap recyclers of all sizes and scrap materials, including electronic scrap, to improve their QEH&S performance and their bottom line. RIOS™ certification is available from independent third-party certification bodies (CBs) accredited by the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board.
The Responsible Recycling (R2) standards -- developed by the U.S. Environmental Agency (EPA) with ISRI and other stakeholders – apply specifically to electronics recyclers. More and more companies are becoming certified to R2 and ISRI’s R2/RIOS® program.