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Find an R2 recycler
Choosing an R2 certified recycler takes the guess work out of hiring a reputable electronics recycler that adheres to the highest industry standards.
To find a certified R2 electronics recycler, click here.
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Become R2 certified
R2 is the leading standard for the electronics recycling industry, setting a high bar for practices that protect the environment, human health, safety and the security of the recycling process. Show your customers that you are an industry leader.
To become an R2 certified recycler, please contact one of these accredited certifying bodies.
AQA International 
Orion Registrar, Inc. 
Perry Johnson Registrars, Inc. 
QMI-SAI Global 
SGS
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Welcome to the R2 Update! This newsletter contains relevant industry information and news pertaining to R2 Solutions, and more importantly the R2 Standard, the leading certification program for the electronics recycling industry.
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Certified company spotlight: R2 standard of choice for Sims Recycling Solutions
This article was provided by Steve Skurnac, President of Sims Recycling Solutions' North American Division. More information can be found at us.simsrecycling.com or by calling (888) 234-9967.
Sims Recycling Solutions is the global leader in electronics reuse and recycling, operating from 50 sites, spanning five continents. The company processes all types of e-waste, including IT and communications equipment, and last year processed over 500,000 metric tonnes worldwide.
Operating an electronics recycling company across five continents inevitably presents a complex range of regulatory, environmental and health and safety legislated environments, all of which must be complied with. Sims Recycling Solutions, therefore needed to pursue an international quality standard of certification which was current, flexible and could be applied at all of its global facilities. The company decided that the R2 Standard best meets those criteria.
Sims Recycling Solutions CEO Graham Davy explains, "As the world's largest electronics recycler, it is imperative that our customers have the assurance that they will receive the same high standards of quality and compliance wherever they are around the globe. So R2 is the standard of choice for us as the practices enshrined within it can be applied anywhere in the world regardless of variations in local regulations. It is very effective, yet flexible.
Another benefit is that it is designed to be compatible with all regulatory environments. This means that recyclers holding the certification can implement changes in regulations as they evolve, so the standard is always current. R2 already goes over and above existing legal requirements in the UK and will continue to demonstrate conformance to all applicable national and international laws, wherever it is applied.
A crucial part of the R2 standard for us and our customers, is the auditing of downstream customers as well as ourselves to ensure they are fully compliant with our own exacting standards in environmental, health, safety and security practices. Crucially, for electronics recyclers, this includes customers who receive hazardous materials and export recycled materials for reuse. R2 gives recyclers and customers alike, peace of mind that the systems in place for tracing and tracking materials as they move down the supply chain are robust and a fully auditable trail of custody can be provided."
Sims currently holds the R2 certification at all its sites in the UK and North America, at Villawood in Australia and Chennai, India. The company is on course to extend certification to its sites in South Africa, Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany over the coming months.
In addition, Sims Recycling Solutions' global operations are all currently certified to the environmental management system ISO:14001 and the health and safety management system, BS OHSAS:18001. Sims' ICT Asset Management facilities are certified to the quality management system ISO 9001:2008; environmental management system ISO 14001; health and safety management system, BS OHSAS:18001 and the information security management system, ISO:27001.
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Positive U.S. government developments for R2 and responsible e-scrap management
Recently the U.S. Government made two important decisions which will benefit R2-certified recyclers.
In GSA Bulletin FMR B-34: Disposal of Federal Electronics Assets, dated February 29, 2012, the federal government called for prohibiting landfilling or dumping of any federal government-owned IT assets. It also calls for federal agencies to manage used electronics through recyclers that hold R2 or equivalent certification. The federal government is the largest electronics customer in the country with an IT budget of approximately $80 billion.
Last week, the U.S. General Services Administration proposed extending these two requirements to apply to federal contractors that use IT equipment purchased with federal dollars.
The new rule for contractors should be enacted in 90 days and is very far reaching. Some very large companies operate as contractors and use equipment purchased with federal funds, for example SAP, Verizon and AT&T. In 2011 it's estimated the federal government issued at least 140,000 IT equipment contracts worth about $11 billion.
Previously such moves by the federal government have served as a "jump start" for change in the private sector. For example, once the federal government required purchase of IT equipment that conformed to the EPEAT standard, registration of products to EPEAT and adoption in the private sector of the standard grew quickly. These recent moves by GSA will drive more customer demand for R2-certified recyclers.
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TAC meeting in May, Standard revision work continues, Guidance near final
The R2 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) will be meeting on May 30-31 in Keystone, Colorado. The public is invited to attend. Keystone is the home of The Keystone Center, a nonprofit organization that helps diverse multi-stakeholder groups with consensus-based decision making. The Keystone Center has been managing the TAC process, with Jody Erikson serving as the neutral facilitator. Please contact Jody if you plan to attend: jerikson@keystone.org.
At the meeting, the TAC will be discussing the revisions to the R2 Standard that it has been developing over the last few months. To date, these revisions have focused primarily on Provisions 1 (the EHS management system, 3 (exporting), 5 (downstream due diligence), and 6 (reuse and refurbishment).
The TAC also has been working on, and is almost finished with, the R2 Guidance document. The 47-page document is in near final form, with just a couple of issues still on the table. The plan is for the TAC to approve the document in April and for the R2 Solutions Board of Directors to approve it in early May.
A very large number of comments were received on the draft Guidance document from interested members of the public during the December - January comment period. Thank you! R2 Solutions and the TAC have been reviewing these comments, many of which are proving extremely helpful as the TAC refines the Guidance document. A copy of all the public comments can be found at www.r2solutions.org/r2practices/r2-guidance/.
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Conformity review: how do EH&S standards help you become R2 certified?
Conformity review is a monthly column highlighting important operational information concerning the R2 Standard. For the last number of months it has been written by Corey Dehmey of Momentum, Inc. Corey can be reached at CDehmey@m-inc.com.
R2 Provision 1 requires that each certified recycler have an environmental, health & safety (EH&S) management system. There are several third-party standards that when implemented provide a robust structure for achieving many of the Provisions of R2. R2 and these EH&S Standards are different in purpose. However, when combined they provide a strong foundation for managing the impacts and risks of recycling electronics to assure consumers of sustainable recycling best practices.
ISO 14001 is a common standard for managing environmental impacts. It requires the identification of environmental aspects and applicable environmental legal requirements. Furthermore, it requires the establishment of procedures to appropriately address these identified aspects and requirements. Elements of communications, continuous improvement, corrective action, and monitoring are also required to name a few. These components establish a foundation, not just for ISO 14001 certification, but to be leveraged for building the pieces necessary for R2 certification as well.
OHSAS 18001 is a robust standard for establishing management systems to control health & safety risks. Much like the elements required for ISO 14001, the framework established by OHSAS 18001 can be used to build a more robust management system for all requirements of R2. The combination of ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 will satisfy most requirements of R2 Provision 1 and Provision 4.
One more option exists which may be a more integrated approach for electronics recyclers. The Recycling Industry Operating Standard, better known as RIOS, incorporates requirements for quality (ISO 9001), environmental management (ISO 14001), and health & safety management (OHSAS 18001). The standard actually combines the elements of multiple standards to provide a streamlined approach for recyclers. RIOS membership includes manuals and tools with cross-references to the R2 Standard. Provision 4 is fulfilled through RIOS certification and most portions of Provision 1 are addressed as well. This option provides one certification path for all three elements. A separate audit is required for R2 Certification, but is typically scheduled at the same visit.
While R2 will not incorporate another standard directly within the R2 Standard, the R2 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) is considering recognition of these other standards. Preliminary drafts of the revised R2 Standard exempt recyclers from being audited to the EH&S requirements if they are already certified to RIOS, or combined ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certifications. The TAC feels that these certifications strengthen the responsible practices of each recycler. Although not yet finalized, it is the TAC's current intention to recognize the extra efforts of recyclers certified to these standards and hopefully reduce the audit time used to re-verify the already certified components for EH&S.
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We want to hear from you! Please send along any R2 related news or information that you think would be important to share with the electronics recycling community.
Thank you!
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