Hundreds of computers and other electronics from Arnold Engineering Development Center in Tullahoma, Tenn., were delivered to The Oak Ridge National Recycle Center Jan. 25. The electronics delivery was the initial trial in a pilot program between the Department of Energy and the Department of Defense that the organizations hope will lead to more material bartering agreements in the future.
Another shipment from AEDC is expected in the coming weeks. "We are extremely excited to partner with the Community Reuse Organization of East Tennessee for recycling of obsolete electronics at Arnold Engineering Development Center," said Alan Goldstayn, AEDC executive director.
"This partnership is one of many success stories that have come from our reindustrialization efforts at ETTP," said Robert Brown, assistant manager for assets utilization at DOE. "By forming pilot programs such as this, we are laying the groundwork for future partnerships between government and private businesses throughout the region and the country. These partnerships benefit everyone involved and in the end, save the companies and taxpayers money."
Services provided by TORNRC include recovery and disposal of computer and electronic equipment and components, sub-assemblies, parts and finished goods; disassembly of finished goods for sub-assembly reclamation; recovery of integrated circuits from printed circuit boards; integration of components into finished goods; and the marketing of the products resulting from these services.
TORNRC is achieving a 99 percent recovery rate on electronics sent to the center. The program is open to all federal agencies as well as private businesses.