# Presentation: 214585

## SELECTING AN E-WASTE RECYCLER FOR OBSOLETE EQUIPMENTWhat federal agencies need to know 

**Robert Tonetti**
**EPA Office of Solid Waste**
**Federal Electronics Stewardship Workshop**
**June 2007**

## FOCUS OF PRESENTATION

**UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF HOW EPA HAZARDOUS WASTE RULES DO & DON’T APPLY**
**GUIDELINES FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND MANAGEMENT (ESM)**
**ESM OPTIONS FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES**

## EPA RULES

**GENERALLY, MOST E-WASTE IN THE U.S. IS EITHER:**
**NON-HAZARDOUS**
**NON-WASTE**
**SEVERAL HAZARDOUS WASTE EXEMPTIONS & EXCLUSIONS APPLY**
**TO ENCOURAGE REUSE & RECYCLING**

## HAZARDOUS WASTE EXEMPTIONS/EXCLUSIONS

**NON-HAZARDOUS WASTES**
**HOUSEHOLD WASTES**
**SCRAP METAL FOR RECYCLING**
**WHOLE CIRCUIT BOARDS FOR RECYCLING**
**PRECIOUS METALS FOR RECYCLING**

## HAZARDOUS WASTE EXEMPTIONS/EXCLUSIONS

**NON-WASTES**
**MATERIALS OR EQUIPMENT FOR REUSE **
**INTACT CRTs FOR RECYCLING**
**PARTIALLY PROCESSED CRTs FOR RECYCLING**
**CONDITIONS APPLY**
**PROCESSED CRT GLASS FOR RECYCLING**
**PROCESSED SCRAP METAL FOR RECYCLING**
**SHREDDED CIRCUIT BOARDS FOR RECYCLING**

## HAZARDOUS WASTES

**IF ALL FOUR ELEMENTS APPLY:**
**GENERATED BY NON-HOUSEHOLDS**
**GENERATED AT MORE THAN 220 lbs/mo**
**HAVE A HAZ WASTE “CHARACTERISTIC,” e.g., FAIL TCLP.  EXAMPLES:**
**CRTs**
**SOME LAPTOPS, CELL PHONES, ETC.**
***SENT FOR DISPOSAL***

## CRT RULE

**FINAL RULE ISSUED JULY 2006**
**CODIFIED EPA’s WORKING APPROACH THAT CRTs TO RECYCLING ARE NOT HAZARDOUS WASTE**
**CONDITIONS APPLY FOR RECYCLERS**
**EFFECTIVE 1/29/07 EXPORTERS MUST  **
**PROVIDE ONE-TIME NOTIFICATION IF EXPORT FOR REUSE**
**PROVIDE NOTIFICATION AND RECEIVE CONSENT IF EXPORT FOR RECYCLING**
**NO NOTIFICATION IF EXPORT OF PROCESSED GLASS **

## EPA POLICY

**JUNE 2002 FEDERAL REGISTER:**
**BECAUSE OBSOLETE ELECTRONICS ARE OFTEN CAPABLE OF REUSE, THEY ARE NOT CONSIDERED WASTES UNTIL A DECISION IS MADE THAT THEY CANNOT OR WILL NOT BE REUSED**
**SUCH DECISIONS ARE MADE BY PERSONS WITH SPECIALIZED EXPERTISE (unless destruction specified)**
**i.e., resellers & recyclers **
**THIS ALLOWS COLLECTION TO OCCUR WITHOUT REGARD TO WASTE RULES.**

## BOTTOM LINE FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES

**YOU ARE NOT WASTE GENERATORS**
**UNLESS YOU REQUIRE DESTRUCTION**
**YOU GENERATE USED ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT**
**AVOIDING DISPOSAL AVOIDS HAZARDOUS WASTE ISSUES UNDER FEDERAL RULES**
**SEND USED EQUIPMENT TO RECYCLERS**
**DO REASONABLE DUE DILIGENCE ON YOUR RECYCLER**

## HAZARDOUS WASTE CLASSIFICATION

**REMEMBER:**
**BE AWARE OF STATE RULES**
**STATE RULES MAY BE MORE STRINGENT THAN EPA **
**SOME STATES CLASSIFY E-WASTE AS UNIVERSAL OR HAZARDOUS WASTE**

## GUIDELINES FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND MANAGEMENT

**EPA’S “PLUG-IN” GUIDELINES**
**ISSUED IN 2004**
**“****BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES” (BMPs) FOR CERTIFICATION OF RECYCLERS**
** ****MULTISTAKEHOLDER DEVELOPMENTAL EFFORT ONGOING**

## EPA PLUG-IN GUIDELINES

**GUIDELINES FOR SAFE MANAGEMENT OF USED & END-OF-LIFE ELECTRONICS**
**ENCOURAGES REUSE & RECYCLING**
**DISPOSAL ALSO ADDRESSED**
**DISTINGUISHES REUSE FROM RECYCLING; REUSE IS SIMPLIFIED**
**EMPHASIZES DUE DILIGENCE**
**ADDRESSES EXPORT**

## PLUG-IN GUIDELINESREUSE & REFURBISHMENT

**SHIPMENT MEETS REUSE OR REFURBISHMENT SPECIFICATIONS**
**EQUIPMENT IS PACKAGED TO PROTECT VALUE FOR REUSE OR REFURBISHMENT**
**PROPER BUSINESS RECORDS KEPT OF TRANSACTION, INCL PRICE PAID**

## PLUG-IN GUIDELINESRECYCLING FACILITIES

**APPROPRIATELY LICENSED**
**HAVE AN EMS OR WRITTEN PLAN FOR RISK MANAGEMENT WITH REGULAR REEVALUATION**
**MONITORING AND RECORDKEEPING**
**CLOSURE PLAN, & IF NECESSARY, FINANCIAL GUARANTEE**

## PLUG-IN GUIDELINESRECYCLING FACILITIES

**WORKER & ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS:**
**EH&S TRAINING OF PERSONNEL**
**WRITTEN HAZARDOUS MATERIALS PLAN THAT ADDRESSES SPECIFIC SUBSTANCES**
**SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS WHERE SHREDDING OR HEATING USED**
**WRITTEN PLAN FOR POLLUTANT RELEASES & EMERGENCIES**
**LIABILITY INSURANCE**
**COMPLETION OF EH&S AUDIT, EVERY 1-3 YEARS**

## PLUG-IN GUIDELINESEXPORT FOR RECYCLING

**REMOVE, PRIOR TO EXPORT, UNLESS TO OECD COUNTRY:**
**BATTERIES**
**MERCURY- & PCB-CONTAINING COMPONENTS**
**CIRCUIT BOARDS, EXCEPT HANDHELD EQUIPMENT**
**CRTs & CRT GLASS & PROCESS PRIOR TO EXPORT**
**COMPLY WITH ALL REQUIREMENTS OF IMPORTING & TRANSIT COUNTRIES**
**NON-OECD COUNTRIES CANNOT LEGALLY ACCEPT HAZARDOUS WASTES w/o BILATERAL WITH U.S.**

## REUSE & RECYCLING MARKETS

**MOST REUSE MARKETS ARE EXPORT**
**LARGE FOR-PROFIT & NON-PROFIT MARKETS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES**
**MANY RECYCLING MARKETS ARE EXPORT**
**STRONG FOREIGN DEMAND FOR RAW MATERIALS**
**NO U.S. SMELTERS FOR COPPER & PRECIOUS METAL RECOVERY FROM CIRCUIT BOARDS**
**NO CRT GLASS FURNACES IN U.S. **
**PLASTIC RECYCLING MARKETS ALMOST ALL OVERSEAS**

## RECYCLER CERTIFICATION 

**MANY STAKEHOLDERS WANT A RECYCLER CERTIFICATION PROGRAM **
**HOWEVER, EPA DOES NOT & WILL NOT “CERTIFY” OR “APPROVE” RECYCLER CONFORMANCE WITH PLUG-IN OR OTHER GUIDELINES OR RULES**

## BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES & CERTIFICATION

**EPA SPONSORING MULTISTAKEHOLDER EFFORT FOR DEVELOPMENT OF BMPs**
**INVOLVES EPA, OSHA, STATES, MANUFACTURERS, RECYCLERS, ENVIRONMENTAL INTEREST GROUPS**
**RECYCLERS WILL VOLUNTEER TO BE CERTIFIED AS TO CONFORMANCE WITH THE BMPs**
**EXPECT DRAFTING TO BE COMPLETED SHORTLY**
**FIELD TESTING & REVISION WILL FOLLOW**
**IMPLEMENTATION ISSUES WILL NOW BE FOCUS**

## ESM OPTIONS FEDERAL AGENCIES

**TWO OPTIONS THAT PROVIDE A HIGH LEVEL OF ASSURANCE OF ESM**
**EPA’s READ CONTRACT**
**UNICOR**
**CERTAINLY, THERE ARE OTHER EXCELLENT RECYCLERS, BUT USE OF READ OR UNICOR REDUCES BURDEN FOR FEDERAL AGENCIES TO CONDUCT THEIR OWN DUE DILIGENCE**

## ESM:  EPA’s READ CONTRACT

**7 PRIME CONTRACTORS **
**EPA FOCUSED ON SOUND MANAGEMENT IN AWARDING THE CONTRACTS**
**FOLLOW-UP SITE VISITS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED**
**FOCUS ON EH&S & DUE DILIGENCE**
**FEC CHECKLISTS & PLUG-IN GUIDELINES USED IN VISITS**
**EPA INTENDS TO DO PERIODIC FOLLOW-UP ASSESSMENT OF CONTRACTOR PRACTICES**

## ESM:  UNICOR

**7 UNICOR RECYCLING FACILITIES NATIONWIDE – NO COST TO FEDs**
**UNICOR ALSO A SUB FOR ONE READ CONTRACTOR**
**UNICOR BID AS READ PRIME **
**WAS AMONG BEST re ESM**
**SELECTED AS PRIME CONTRACTOR BUT REVOKED:  NOT A SMALL BUSINESS**

## ESM:  UNICOR

**AMONG BEST RECYCLERS IN A NUMBER OF AREAS:**
**WORKER PROTECTION IN CRT GLASS BREAKING**
**HEALTH MONITORING OF WORKERS**
**WORKER EH&S TRAINING**
**RECORDKEEPING**
**MAXIMIZING REUSE**
**MAXIMIZING MATERIAL RECOVERY**
**ISO 9000 & IAER CERTIFICATIONS ARE COMPLETED OR IN PROCESS AT ALL 7 FACILITIES.  BEGINNING ISO 14000 PROCESS**

## SCREENING OTHER RECYCLERS

**IF YOU WANT TO USE RECYCLERS OTHER THAN READ CONTRACT OR UNICOR:**
**YOU NEED TO CONDUCT YOUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE**
**FEC WEBSITE HAS EXTREMELY USEFUL RESOURCES**
**TWO CHECKLISTS**
**OTHER MATERIALS**
**GAINING A HIGH DEGREE OF CONFIDENCE IN A RECYCLER REQUIRES A CONSIDERABLE INVESTMENT OF TIME **

## DOING YOUR OWN DUE DILIGENCE

**CONDUCT A SITE VISIT**
**ASK QUESTIONS**
**ASK TO SEE DOCUMENTATION **
**e.g., permits & example invoices re downstream markets**
**USE THE FEC TOOLS**
**CONTACT REFERENCES**
**STATE/LOCAL PERMITTING OFFICIALS **
**MAJOR CUSTOMERS, ESPECIALLY ANY THAT HAVE DONE AN AUDIT OF THE FACILITY**

## DUE DILIGENCE PRIORITIES

**PERMITS & WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH STATE/LOCAL PERMITTING AGENCIES**
**DATA SANITIZATION/DESTRUCTION METHODS**
**MINIMIZE DISPOSAL, MAXIMIZE REUSE & RECYCLING**
**BASIC WORKER SAFETY PRECAUTIONS & GOOD HOUSEKEEPING**
**RECYCLER’S DUE DILIGENCE PROCEDURE re DOWNSTREAM MARKETS**

## DUE DILIGENCE PRIORITIES (CONT’D)

**DOWNSTREAM MARKETS THRU TO REUSE OR RAW MATERIAL USE/SMELTING**
**INFO NEEDED ON EACH LAYER, WHETHER U.S. MARKET OR EXPORT**
**PRIORITY MATERIALS FOR DUE DILIGENCE**
**WHOLE EQUIPMENT**
**CRTs & CRT GLASS**
**BATTERIES**
**MERCURY-CONTAINING DEVICES (e.g., small lamps in laptops & flat panels)**
**CIRCUIT BOARDS**

## DUE DILIGENCE re REUSE MARKETS

**HOW SOLD OR DONATED?**
**RED FLAG:  OPEN AUCTION OF EQUIPMENT, EXCEPT WHERE FULLY TESTED & WORKING**
**WHO ARE BUYERS/RECIPIENTS?**
**RED FLAG:  RECYCLER DOES NOT HAVE DUE DILIGENCE INFO ON BUYERS, EVEN IF ON-LINE (except tested, working equip)**
**NO NEED TO LOOK AT RETAIL SALE OF INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT**

## REASONS TO REJECT A RECYCLER

**IF YOU HAVE ANY DOUBTS, ESPECIALLY REGARDING:**
**PROPER PERMITTING**
**DOWNSTREAM MARKETS OR DISPOSAL**
**WORKER SAFETY**
**DATA SANITIZATION/DESTRUCTION**
**IF WON’T PROVIDE REFERENCES OR DOWNSTREAM CUSTOMER INFO **