Gabriele Crognale, PE – Sustainable Plant
On September 20, 2012, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the launch of its Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Electronics Challenge, an initiative to make proactive electronics refurbishing and recycling practices the industry standard. To further drive the point home, EPA made the announcement at Vintage Tech Recyclers, a certified electronics recycling facility in Romeoville, Illinois.
Officiating at the event, EPA Administrator Lisa. P. Jackson said, “Already, the United States generates almost 2.5 million tons of electronic waste per year – and that number will only grow. Used electronics have materials in them that can be recovered and recycled, reducing the economic costs and environmental impacts of securing and processing new materials for new products.” Jackson continued, “The SMM Electronics Challenge will help us ensure that we are doing all we can to repurpose or safely dispose of the cell phones, computers and other devices we use every day – all while helping to build a robust market for electronics recycling in the United States.”