DC Velocity - November 2012

August, the Securities and Exchange Commission issued a rule requiring companies to disclose the use of conflict minerals that originated in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or adjoining countries. “Electronics companies are going to have to show where their minerals come from and prove that nobody was harmed in mining them,” Rogers says.

Both of these developments have created powerful incentives to recover as many minerals as possible from existing products. “One of the big issues in reverse logistics is the potential shortage of rare earth,” says Alan Amling, vice president of marketing, global logistics, and distribution for UPS Supply Chain Solutions. “This is where over the long term, we have to look at the concept of bringing sustainability and conservation of resources into reverse logistics. How do we tie reverse logistics back into the manufacturing process? How can we connect reclaimed materials like rare earths with manufacturing at the point where they are needed?”

TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR WASTE

Once a company has harvested everything of value from the returned product, there may still be waste to recycle or dispose of. Although plenty of contractors offer recycling and disposal service for electronic products, just picking a provider at random is a lot like playing Russian roulette. “Ownership of the waste is important because manufacturers can be held liable for improper disposal,” says Amling. That means they must make it their business to know just how those recyclers handle products.

Fortunately, at least two programs for certifying electronics recyclers can help point the way.

Best known is the Responsible Recycling Practices, or R2, program. The R2 certification is a program offered by R2 Solutions, a nonprofit company that promotes environmentally responsible practices in the electronics recycling industry. To date, more than 200 facilities around the world have attained the certification.

The second is the e-Stewards Standards, created by the Basel Action Network, a Washington state-based nonprofit that focuses on environmental and sustainability issues.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has endorsed both initiatives, noting on its website that “these programs are based on strong environmental standards which maximize reuse and recycling, minimize exposure to human health or the environment, ensure safe management of materials by downstream handlers, and require destruction of all data on used electronics.” Both certifications require companies to be audited by independent third parties.

It’s important to note that when you go to contract for recycling services, you need not steer clear of a third-party service provider just because it isn’t certified. While 3PLs may not be certified themselves, many make it a point to work with certified recycling companies on behalf of their customers. ;

Editor’s note: Senior Editor Toby Gooley contributed to this report.

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