South Africa’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition (MTIC) has placed a two-month ban on the export of several types of ferrous and nonferrous scrap metal, citing powers granted to the ministry by the International Trade Administration Act of 2002.

An eight-page notice issued July 3 by the ministry lists numerous metals covered by the ban, including iron, steel, copper, aluminum, lead, zinc, tin, magnesium, manganese and another 15 minor and rare earth metals. The ministry uses the term “waste and scrap” and gives accompanying tariff codes for the scrap commodities.

“The Minister has received representations from the domestic consuming industry that there is a shortage of affordable scrap metal and the [existing] price preference system is not achieving the objectives of the Policy Directive, which is causing severe harm to the industry and affecting its recovery from the destructive effects of the COVID-19 global pandemic,” states the directive, which is signed by MTIC Minister Ebrahim Patel.

The ministry says a 2013 Policy Directive gives it the ability “to ensure an affordable supply of quality scrap metal [to] safeguard employment and to maintain and increase industrial capacity to promote infrastructure development.”

Patel’s document says the ban will be in effect for two months, until Sept. 2 or 3, while the Ministry’s International Trade Administration Commission (ITAC) investigates “whether the price preference system is achieving the objectives of the Policy Directive, and in particular (but without limitation), whether there is a shortage of scrap metal for the domestic processing industry; whether the discount, delivery and payment terms should be amended; and whether another formula should be applied to achieve the objectives.”

Exceptions will be made for shipments that either are received or applied for export permits before the July 3 publication of the new policy, according to the notice. Some exceptions also may be made for “ferrous and nonferrous metals listed in the schedule hereto which [ITAC] determines are not used by the domestic processing industry.”

The Electronics Reuse & Recycling Alliance (TERRA), Nashville, Tennessee, has announced that the Technology Conservation Group (TCG), Lecanto, Florida, has joined TERRA’s Done with IT program to provide electronics recycling options for businesses and individuals from its two Responsible Recycling (R2) certified facilities in Florida and Kentucky. 

TERRA is a large network of e-Stewards and R2 Certified e-scrap recycling and information technology asset disposition (ITAD) solution providers with secure facilities across North America. The Done with IT mail-in program provides access to simple, secure and sustainable e-scrap recycling options. According to a news release from TERRA, the service is critical for rural and urban communities that have little or no access to e-waste recycling services. 

“Only certified businesses like TCG adhere to rigorous standards and ongoing oversight that protect individuals and organizations against data breach and effectively mitigate the dangers associated with the improper disposal of e-waste,” says Steven Napoli, president and CEO of TERRA.

“An expanding home-based workforce increases the value of having convenient access to data destruction, device refurbishment and remarketing services,” says Don Andes, vice president of business development at TCG. “Our partnership with TERRA helps us connect our certified solutions to those in need of these essential services.”

A father-and-son team launched Glassman Recycling and Repurposing to provide glass collection and processing in Omaha, Nebraska.

“We were looking for a business to start in Omaha,” says Simeon Worthing, chief operating officer of Glassman Recycling and the son in the father-and-son team. “We were looking for what was really needed.”

Joe Worthing, president and the father in the father-and-son team, knew from personal experience that the city lacked a glass processing site. Joe also serves as a board member on the Nebraska Recycling Council, so he says he knew the area needed curbside glass collection. He is also president of Worthing and Associates, a marketing firm in Omaha.

While Omaha has some glass collection programs, Simeon says the closest glass processing facility is about 185 miles away in Kansas City, Missouri. So, in the winter of 2020, Joe and Simeon researched and planned to start a glass processing and collection business to service Omaha. 

“With the help of one of my sons and a friend of his, we are biting the bullet and jumping in at a time when most would not consider starting a service business. The only thing needed is people willing to join us,” Joe says. 

The past few months, Joe says he and Simeon have reached out to residents in Omaha as well as to local businesses to provide glass recycling services. Those who signed up received plastic tubs, which Glassman repurposed from the agricultural industry.

Glassman Recycling officially started business July 8. Joe says residents and businesses can visit Glassman Recycling’s website to schedule glass pickups as needed. Joe says he and Simeon plan to check the site daily to download a list of customers ready for pickup. 

“We are working to dramatically increase participation in glass recycling by offering at-home and business pickups,” Joe says. “We call them ‘grabs.’ We know so many people who want to recycle glass and hate throwing it away, but the current options are cumbersome and inefficient at best and wasteful at worst because most don’t want to store it and then take it to a dump station only to have it trucked to Kansas City.” 

The new business is processing glass back into sand. Simeon adds that the company purchased a glass crusher to process glass from its facility in Bellevue, Nebraska. “Once we get the glass, we separate by color and crush it,” he says.

Glassman Recycling charges $35 per year to register for the recycling program as well as $20 per pickup without any monthly fees. 

Ocala-based Recycle Florida Today Inc. (RTF), Florida’s state recycling organization, has announced 2020-2022’s board of directors, including five incumbents and one newly ratified member, for the two-year term.

Joining the board is Dayna Miller of Waste Pro. Miller currently serves as the municipal marketing representative for the north Florida region for Waste Pro of Florida Inc. She began her career in the solid waste business with Waste Pro in 2007 in commercial and construction sales and was promoted to municipal marketing and public relations in 2010.

According to an RTF news release, Miller will serve her two-year term along with five incumbents, Jim Davis of Jim Davis, Certified Public Accountant, Patti Hammond of the Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County, Gina Hawkins of Keep Alachua County Beautiful, Stephanie Kissinger of Waste Management Inc. of Florida and Chris Snow of Consolidated Resource Recovery Inc.

In addition to welcoming incoming directors, the board met virtually and chose an executive committee:

• Chairperson Carmen Bruno, Hernando County Recycling and Solid Waste;

• Vce Chairperson Patti Hammond, Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County;

• Treasurer Chris Snow, Consolidated Resource Recovery Inc.; and

• Secretary Miriam Zimms, Kessler Consulting Inc.

“I am excited to welcome Dayna Miller and incumbents to our board of directors,” says Bruno.“These individuals, along with our standing directors, bring decades of leadership and service in key areas, such as recycling education, sustainability, organics, waste reduction and diversion, environmental nonprofit leadership and machinery expertise.”.