Regional Computer Recycling & Recovery
RCR&R Contact Info



Corporate Headquarters: 7318 Victor-Mendon Rd
(Route 251)
Victor, NY 14564
Phone: 888-563-1340
Fax: 585-924-3841
email: info@eWASTE.com
Recycling
IAER

Member of the International Association of Electronics Recyclers

The IAER was formed to represent and serve the interests of the electronics recycling industry as a key element in the development of an effective and efficient infrastructure for managing the life cycle of electronics products. One area, in particular, that is important to the future of the industry, is the support and promotion of high standards of environmental quality and regulatory compliance as well as high quality business practices.
NAID

Member of the National Association for Information Destruction

NAID® is the international trade association for companies providing information destruction services. Suppliers of products, equipment and services to destruction companies are also eligible for membership. NAID's mission is to promote the information destruction industry and the standards and ethics of its member companies.

Why Recycle?

Electronic equipment contains metals and other materials that can be hazardous to human health and the environment if they are not properly managed.

Cadmium - found in chip resistors, infrared detectors, and semiconductors
Cadmium can accumulate in, and negatively impact the kidneys. Cadmium is persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic. The principal exposure pathway is through respiration and through our food.
 

Lead - found in glass panels in computer monitors and in lead soldering of printed circuit boards
Lead can cause damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems, blood systems, and kidneys in humans. Lead has also been shown to have negative effects on the development of children's brains. Lead can accumulate in the environment and have a detrimental effect on plants, animals, and humans. Consumer electronics may be responsible for 40% of the lead found in landfills. The principal pathway of concern is lead leaching from landfills and contaminating drinking water supplies.
 

Mercury - found in thermostats, position sensors, relays and switches (e.g., on printed circuit boards), discharge lamps, and batteries. It is also used in medical equipment, data transmission, telecommunications, and mobile phones.
When mercury make sits way into waterways, it is transformed into methylated mercury in the sediments. Methylated mercury accumulates in living organisms and travels up the food chain. Methylated mercury can cause brain damage. The principal exposure pathway is through our food.
 

Hexavalent Chromium or Chromium VI - can be used to protect against corrosion of untreated and galvanized steel plates
Chromium VI can damage DNA and has been linked to asthmatic bronchitis. The major pathways are through landfill leachate or from fly ash generated when materials containing Chromium VI are incinerated.

Brominated Flame Retardants - found on printed circuit boards, components such as plastic covers and cables as well as plastic covers of televisions
Although less is known about BFRs than some other contaminants of concern, but research has shown that one of these flame retardants, Polybrominated Diphenylethers (PDBE) might act and an endocrine disrupter. Flame retardant (Polybrominated Biphenyls (PBB) may increase cancer risk to the of the digestive and lymph systems. Once released into the environment through landfill leachate and incineration they are concentrated in the food chain.
 

Additional concerns

Plastic - Because manufacturers use many different types of plastic in electronic equipment, it is the most challenging to recycle. These plastics often include contaminants such as metal screws and inserts, coatings and paints, foams, and labels. Currently, plastics from electronic equipment are both difficult and costly to sort for single resin feedstocks markets and there are limited markets for the mixed plastics stream. Also, plastics can be treated with brominated flame retardants, making them harder to recycle and possibly dangerous to those exposed to them.

Additionally, electronics are made with valuable resources such as precious metals, engineered plastics, glass, and other materials—all of which require energy to manufacture. When equipment is thrown away, these resources cannot be recovered and additional pollution will be generated to manufacture new products out of virgin materials.

EPA. "Ecycling". Frequent Questions.

http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/recycle/ecycling/faq.htm  (18 April, 2006)

 

 
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