NCER Announces 7 Percent Increase in Electronics Recycling Volumes

The National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER), based in Parkersburg, W.V., announced the publication of its 2008 per capita collection index (PCCI) for electronics recycling during the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc. (ISRI) Electronics Recycling Summit in Las Vegas in late April.

The PCCI measures collection volumes of used electronic equipment in six ongoing electronics recycling programs across the United States. Based on the NCER’s data and analysis, the 2008 PCCI value was 7 percent higher than in 2007.

“We have been gathering these numbers from the same collection programs for the last three years in order to measure the overall trends,” NCER Executive Director Jason Linnell said. “As anyone who runs electronics collection programs will tell you, volumes are increasing. Our PCCI indicates a 23 percent increase in pounds collected from 2006 to 2008. This suggests that consumers with access to these recycling programs are participating in increasing numbers and volumes; and we expect to see these collection rates continue to increase as consumers become more aware of options for recycling electronics through industry voluntary and state-mandated programs,” he said.

A rising PCCI indicates an increase in the collection of electronic scrap across the programs included in the index and suggests a similar trend nationwide, according to the NCER. The jurisdictions included in the index are the states of California, Maine and Delaware; a large municipality in Hennepin County, Minn.; and two smaller municipalities in Branford, Conn, and Frederick County, Va.

A complete explanation of the assumptions and calculations behind the PCCI is available at www.ecyclingresource.org/ContentPage.aspx?PageId=24.

The NCER also has announced the  release of several new reports about the state of electronics recycling in the U.S. The reports, available at www.electronicsrecycling.org, include:

• “Maine 2008 E-waste Collection Overview Chart”—Based on information provided by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, this chart breaks down the percentage of monitors and televisions returned under the Maine law in several key categories. As in previous years, televisions represent the great majority of returned products at more than 70 percent. 
• “Oregon State Contractor Program First Quarter 2009 Results”—The NCER was selected in 2008 to administer the Oregon E-Cycles State Contractor Program.  NCER has developed an extensive collector network in the state and has collected 802,368 pounds of covered electronic devices in the first quarter of their program. Complete details and other updates on the State Contractor Program are available at www.electronicsrecycling.org/oregon.
• “National Electronics Recycling Infrastructure Clearinghouse (NERIC) State Fee Analysis”—Through a joint project with the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), the NCER is providing several new analyses of the emerging state-based electronics recycling systems, such as registration fees and projected manufacturer compliance costs. More information is available at www.ecyclingresource.org.

 Linnell moderated an panel on the issues and challenges associated with the new state electronics recycling laws at the ISRI Electronics Recycling Summit, which was held in conjunction with the association’s 2009 Convention & Exposition in Las Vegas April 27-30.  The NCER noted that 18 states and one major city now have mandatory electronics recycling laws in place, affecting slightly more than half of the U.S. population.

The NCER is a 501 (c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the development and enhancement of a national infrastructure for the recycling of used electronics in the U.S.