The global reach of SERI was on full display at the Recommerce Expo 2024, held in Bengaluru, India, where SERI’s India team shared insights from the stage and engaged key stakeholders from a booth in the exhibit hall.
The multi-faceted involvement of SERI’s India team at the prominent electronics reuse and recycling event demonstrates the growing interest in R2 as the most populous country on earth implements mandatory policies to boost sustainable management of used electronics, most notably the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022.
A highlight of the event was a presentation from Dr. Sandip Chatterjee, a Senior Advisor for SERI’s India team and retired senior director at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology for the Government of India. During the first day of the conference, Dr. Chatterjee presented on “The Importance of Standards and Certification for Sustainable Electronics,” a presentation that was followed by a question-and-answer period exploring the effectiveness of R2 in India, costs associated with certification, and other topics.
“SERI appreciates Recommerce for initiating a discussion on importance of standards and certification for sustainable electronics, which helps industries to understand nuances on global best practices on quality, environment, occupational health and safety for sustained operations with effective compliances without diluting their core competence,” said Dr. Chatterjee, who received a Recommerce Circular Vision Award for “Exceptional Contribution to E-waste Industry” at the event.
The SERI/R2 booth in the exhibit hall was visited by many different stakeholders throughout the electronics value chain, including new recyclers/refurbishers setting up facilities, existing recyclers/refurbishers that know about R2 but aren’t yet certified, ITAD companies, electronics producers, end users of refurbished electronics, industry associations, end of life processors, and software companies developing logical data sanitization tools.
At the booth, discussions with various stakeholders, including a multinational electronics brand owner, delved into the role SERI and R2 can play in India, including helping to boost awareness among other multinational corporations about the importance of reuse before recycling. Numerous lithium-ion battery recyclers, specifically, visited the booth to inquire about R2 Certification.
The event was just one of many around the world where SERI helps spread the message about electronics sustainability and encourages adoption of the R2 Standard and Certification. R2 is not exclusive to any one nation and its policy, frameworks, or laws, but achieving R2 Certification can help electronics reuse and recycling facilities get a leg up as they work to comply with laws, such as the E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2022, for which the Indian government continues to issue amendments and updated guidance. For public and private entities alike, the voluntary R2 Standard, with its formal third-party auditing and certification program, helps reduce data and environmental risks when contracting with vendors to destroy data and refurbish or recycle electronics. The risk reduction is particularly valuable in countries lacking the resources to implement and robustly enforce electronics reuse and recycling laws.
Reflecting on the event, Dr. Chatterjee saw Recommerce Expo 2024 as an ideal forum to discuss electronics sustainability challenges and explore solutions.
“Recommerce Expo 2024 provides a unique opportunity for stakeholders to discuss issues, including sustainable electronics, circular economy, refurbished product, responsible recycling and also exchange ideas to draw a roadmap on achieving sustainability in entire electronics ecosystem,” Dr. Chatterjee said.
Stakeholders in India who would like more information about R2 can reach SERI’s India team at India@sustainableelectronics.org. The team is also starting a series of webinars in collaboration with various organizations. The webinars will be directed at various stakeholders, including e-waste recyclers, government entities, trade associations, and others. Information on the upcoming webinars will be published on the Sustainable Electronics India website and SERI’s LinkedIn page.
And for additional information about R2, please visit the SERI website: R2 – SERI (sustainableelectronics.org).
