Report Overview
According to last year’s annual report, Washington state’s program experienced a decline in total e-scrap weight handled, while one device was incorrectly exported to a Middle Eastern country and a processor also left the program.
A report released by Washington Materials Management and Financing Authority (WMMFA) to Washington’s Department of Ecology showed a decrease in e-scrap processing for 2022. Compared to the 14.60 million pounds collected in 2021, only 13.31 million pounds were handled in 2022 amounting to an overall reduction of roughly 13 percent. It should be noted that these figures include residuals not recycled as well.
Some key points to be noted from this year’s annual report are as follows:
Each Processor’s Total Weight Handled
Once again, just a few companies shouldered the majority of the total recycling load. Metro Metals’ two locations in Tacoma and Vancouver processed 5.45 million pounds combined, Ace Metal Company of Mukilteo recycled 3.50 million pounds, EWC Group of Tukwila recycled 2.08 million pounds, E-Waste LLC of Lynnwood intervened to recycle 1.90 million pounds while URT’s Clackamas, Ore location counted 392,000 pounds into the report (including residuals not recycled).
ERI’s Sumner, Wash. location, recycled 222,000 pounds of material under E-Cycle Washington’s 2021 program, but “didn’t recycle any weight under the program last year,” the report notes.
Accidental Item Shipped to the Middle East
The newest report additionally covered how WMMFA put forward $15,000 to initiate the voluntary installation of GPS trackers on e-scrap dropped off at registered collection sites. This investment was funded by a settlement made with Total Reclaim for its illegal export of devices to Asia while in conjunction with WMMFA’s program.
It was discovered that a single tracking unit was sent to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
“The product containing the tracker had been sent by a registered processor to their downstream vendor for recycling,” the report explains. “The shipment of the tracker to the UAE was unauthorized by the processor. As a result, the vendor that sent the product to the UAE is no longer being used as a downstream vendor by the processor.”
Per-Pound Cost Increases by a Small Amount
Though the expenses by OEMs for the Washington extended producer responsibility (EPR) program declined in the past year, there was a surge in the cost associated with each pound recycled.
In comparison to 2021, electronic manufacturers disbursed a total amount of $4.3 million in 2022. This number was substantially lower than the prior year, which saw $6.5 million circulated. In terms of program expenses, including both administrative and program costs, there was an apparent drop to $4.97 million in 2022 compared to 2021’s figure of $5.37 million (with nearly $915,000 left in reserve from 2021).
A slight uptick in price was observed as a result of the program dealing with fewer pounds this year. Coming in at 37.3 cents per pound, 2021’s 36.8 cents per pound had increased by approximately 1.4 percent.
Information Now Deemed Proprietary
Last year, the Washington State Department of Ecology had made available a list of downstream subcontractors who were taking e-scrap materials as part of the program. However, this information has since been removed from both the 2021 and 2022 reports posted on its website; with the most recent annual report citing that these details are proprietary and not to be shared publicly.
Though, albeit vaguely stated, the public report still provides an overview of where the material is ultimately disposed of. Regarding CRT glass, all companies have acknowledged its usage in ceramic tile making with some allocated for concrete products or for new glass production. As for plastics, Malaysia and Canada were reported as recipients, with one processor also stating it remains within the U.S. Additionally, another processor divulged that plastic is shredded then incorporated into circuit board scrap slated to enter a smelter in Japan.
