News | SERI - Sustainable Electronics Recycling International

About SERISubpages
We're Sustainable Electronics Recycling International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing safe and sustainable reuse and recycling of used electronics through consensus-driven standards.
R2 StandardSubpages
The R2 Standard is the leading certification for electronics repair and reuse. As the housing body for R2, SERI maintains the R2 Standard, related documentation, guidance, and facilitates its ongoing development.
ProgramsSubpages
SERI works with partners throughout the lifecycle of electronic products to ensure that they are managed responsibly. SERI's programs focus on education, outreach, safety, and international development.
- R2 Leaders
Education & TrainingSubpages
SERI offers a variety of educational and training opportunities for recyclers, as well as opportunities for auditors and consultants. These trainings focus on implementing the R2 Standard, realizing a return on the investment in certification, discussing relevant issues or challenges related to recycling practices, and other topics.

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R2 reuse requirements reduce environmental footprint and help emerging markets

Fundamental to the R2 Standard is the emphasis on reuse as the best approach to managing electronics. Reuse extends the useful life of electronics, thereby reducing the environmental impact of manufacturing new products. In addition to the widely recognized environmental benefits, reuse also provides economic and social benefits by bridging the digital divide with affordable electronics – particularly in emerging markets. In many regions of the world, the technology boom of the past decade has been fueled in large part by access to affordable used electronics.

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Provision 6 Maximizing reuse Qualifying Downstream Refurbishers

Jun 12th, 2016

Details for new R2 Auditor Training finalized

As discussed in last month’s newsletter, all R2 certifying body auditors will be required to complete the new R2 Auditor Training course by August 10, 2017. Details for the first session have been finalized:

Date: July 26-27, 2016
(8:30am – 5:30 pm each day)

Location: NSF International
789 N. Dixboro Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105

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Auditor Training

Jun 12th, 2016

Q&A - How do I qualify my shipper if I am using a broker for transportation?

Many recyclers use transportation brokers to arrange carriers to transport their materials. This can be a cost effective way to find carriers traveling routes you use infrequently or need on short notice. Since they are not contracting directly with the carrier, however, they are essentially outsourcing the Provision 12(b) due diligence requirements to the broker. Consequently, they must implement a process to qualify a broker to ensure it conducts due diligence regarding these requirements on their behalf. The process of qualifying a broker includes:

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Newsletters

Provision 12 Transportation Qualifying Transportation Vendors

May 31st, 2016

Downstream Vendor Audit Times

One of the ways in which the R2 Certification program exercises oversight and quality control of the auditing process is by specifying the amount of time Certification Bodies (CBs) must add for reviewing a recycler’s downstream recycling chain. The time requirements, which are found in the R2 Code of Practices (Section V.C.3), are based on the number of downstream vendors, complexity and whether the downstream vendors are R2 Certified. The R2 Code of Practices requires tha

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Newsletters

Audit Time Downstream Vendors

May 31st, 2016

Non-Conformances for Landfill of CRT Glass

There have been questions raised recently about the acceptability of the disposal of CRT glass in landfills by R2 Certified facilities or their downstream vendors. The confusion centers on states which allow the landfill of CRT glass, but do not require it. These are currently California (hazardous waste only) and Illinois. While these states allow landfill to count as “recycling” in state sponsored or producer responsibility program, the R2 Standard still prohibits the landfill of CRT Glass. To be clear, landfilling of CRT glass does not conform to the R2 Standard. This includes the p

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CRT CRT

May 31st, 2016

New Training Curriculum and Requirements for R2 Auditors

SERI will be launching a new training program for all R2 auditors beginning this July. The enhanced training developed by SERI will further efforts to ensure consistent R2 Standard interpretation and auditing techniques. The course will focus on a practical approach to auditing and will incorporate case studies, videos, interactive tools, and discussions to provide new and existing auditors with the guidance they need to audit to R2:2013 effectively and efficiently. Competency exams will also be part of the program.

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Newsletters

Auditor Training

May 31st, 2016

The R2 Standard and the new Circular Economy

The Circular Economy is an idea that has been steadily gaining ground over the past few years. Surging population growth and a growing global middle class have fueled an increasing demand for goods that is rapidly depleting the world’s limited supply of natural resources. Our current economic model of “take, make, use and throw away” is not sustainable – which has given rise to a new model that is redefining how we think of “waste” and changing the way products and materials are managed throughout their life cycle. In short, the

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Newsletters

Circular Economy

May 31st, 2016

Indicators of Trouble with Downstream Vendors

While the R2 Standard prescribes objective requirements for downstream vendors, it cannot determine the credibility of the information provided. It is the responsibility of each company to assess the information collected from downstream vendors, or from observations made during onsite visits, to determine if the recycler is qualified. It is not enough to simply gather information, you also need to determine whether it is logical and credible.

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Newsletters

Downstream Vendors Due Diligence

May 11th, 2016

SERI / R2 Statement on Enhanced Quality Assurance Initiatives

May 11, 2016, Boulder, CO The PBS News Hour segment "Tracking Down America's Electronic Waste" raises serious questions about the mismanagement of a portion of the electronics discarded in the United States. It revealed that the Basel Action Network placed about 200 transponders in pieces of electronic equipment and dropped them off at recycling collection sites. They tracked the transponders, finding that around one-third were exported, mostly to Hong Kong where some of the tracked equipment was dismantled under unsafe working conditions. Though not mentioned in the N

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Press Releases

Apr 28th, 2016

Upcoming R2 Training Webinars

Intro to R2

A 90 minute overview of the R2 Standard requirements, and the steps and costs of certification. Those new to R2 should start here. No charge to attend. To register, please click on the desired webinar date.

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Newsletters

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About SERISubpages
We're Sustainable Electronics Recycling International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing safe and sustainable reuse and recycling of used electronics through consensus-driven standards.
R2 StandardSubpages
The R2 Standard is the leading certification for electronics repair and reuse. As the housing body for R2, SERI maintains the R2 Standard, related documentation, guidance, and facilitates its ongoing development.
ProgramsSubpages
SERI works with partners throughout the lifecycle of electronic products to ensure that they are managed responsibly. SERI's programs focus on education, outreach, safety, and international development.
- R2 Leaders
Education & TrainingSubpages
SERI offers a variety of educational and training opportunities for recyclers, as well as opportunities for auditors and consultants. These trainings focus on implementing the R2 Standard, realizing a return on the investment in certification, discussing relevant issues or challenges related to recycling practices, and other topics.

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