R2 Recycling (glossary)

When your business needs to get rid of its old electronics, you should reach out to an electronics recycler.

In a perfect world, this provider will adequately dispose of your devices to reduce your impact on the environment. It should also destroy your data to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands.

Unfortunately, not all companies abide by ethical practices. Many providers ship e-waste to other countries where they can get away with poor data and device destruction practices.

The good news is that there is such a thing as R2 Recycling. Read on to learn more about this practice and why you should look for an R2-certified company. As an R2-certified company ourselves, Newtech Recycling will help you properly dispose of your old electronics.

R2 stands for Responsible Recycling. Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI) created this standard to hold providers accountable for handling e-waste.

R2 certification shows that a provider adheres to international Responsible Recycling standards. While SERI initially created this certification, the R2 Technical Advisory Committee manages updates. National entities like the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also work with state organizations, providers, and clients to ensure providers meet the standard for electronic recyclers.

This standard aims to distribute useful metals found in end-of-life electronics to reduce the need to create more. Manufacturing the products found within electronic devices wastes a great deal of labor and energy. By following the R2 standard for recycling, providers protect the environment and the well-being of global communities.

Newtech Recycling holds the most recent version as an R2 certified recycler with the R2:2013 standard for responsible electronics recycling. This certification allows us to dispose of electronics and data for clients properly.

Here’s an overview of the certification process:

•             Facilities must have insurance and meet all R2 principles for ethical and sustainable electronics disposal.
•             The company must submit its application along with the required $1,500 annual fee (or $1,000 for tax-exempt institutions).
•             Contact an authorized Certified Body (CB) to perform the initial audit of the company. All CB’s have accreditation from the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB).
•             If the audit issues the need for corrective action to meet the standards, the provider must make the necessary adjustments before proceeding.
•             Two audits are required to prove the use of proper standards, including a facility tour and employee interviews.
•             After being approved following the second audit, the provider will get their certification.

Certifications remain effective for three years and require annual audits to remain active.

The influx of mobile device usage has significantly increased their disposal rate, but responsible electronics recycling struggles to keep up.

The standard for electronics recyclers remains the same regardless of what type of device you are getting rid of. If you find yourself asking, what to do with an old tablet, we are the right certified recyclers to handle unused electronics properly.

As tablets are similar to mobile phones, they remain categorized as mobile e-waste. They may contain toxic waste that a provider should dispose of according to the R2 standard. This move will further e-waste from poisoning soil and water sources.

We prioritize the safe disposal of all e-waste-producing electronic devices by retrieving recoverable materials and handling any toxic remains following the appropriate standards.

Partnering with certified recyclers allows you to be more aware of what happens to your company’s electronic devices once you turn them in. You will not have to worry about unauthorized users accessing sensitive information on discarded devices.

Newtech provides the safety of knowing who is destroying leftover data and saves your information from exploitation. We restore any value left over from the end-of-life devices to you while carefully disposing of harmful chemicals within the devices.

E-Stewards or Electronics Stewardship is another certification for responsible electronics recycling started by the Basal Action Network (BAN) to promote safe practices for e-waste companies. E-Stewards is similar to the R2 standard but includes additional procedures by how they pledge to keep waste out of landfills and incinerators.

Both of these certifications are important for certified recyclers. Having one of these two accredited certifications is crucial if you want to adhere to the standard for electronic recyclers.

When looking for a provider, the lack of R2 certification should be a dealbreaker. This standard for electronics recyclers is key to knowing that your old devices will be in good hands.

If you want to start working with a reliable partner, contact Newtech today! Our company adheres to the R2 standard to protect the environment and the well-being of your business.

Related Terms: Electronic Recycling, TERRA, ITAD