The Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI) R2 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) begins their 3 day meeting in Denver, Colorado today to discuss R2 standard revisions, which is open to the public.
The R2 Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) has been meeting regularly via conference call to consider revisions to the R2 Standard. The TAC is comprised of representatives from regulatory and public interest entities, recyclers/refurbishers, corporate users of electronics recycling services, and technical advisors with a broad-ranging expertise in the industry who share SERI’s vision for safe and sustainable electronics reuse and recycling.
Updates to the current R2 Standard (R2 2013) are expected to be released in 2018, with full implementation by 2020.
There are several specific items under review by the committee:
- Require notification to upstream suppliers when vendors in the downstream recycling chain are added or removed.
- Provision 5 – FM (Focus Materials) Management Plan – requirements for R2 recycles to demonstrate the ability of their downstream vendors to process equipment containing focus materials, as well as requiring a flowchart of the downstream recycling chain.
- Provision 6 – Rewrite this provision for more clarity and better fit the normal flow of refurbishers while still maintaining high standards for testing and reuse.
- Provision 7 – Overhaul this provision to include more detailed requirements to ensure accuracy by downstream vendors in tracking equipment, components and materials. Additionally time limits for processing and shipping are proposed, to make sure the flow of equipment and materials continues on a regular and sustainable basis.
SERI is committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions to improve, clarify or strengthen the R2 Standard are welcome and can be submitted online at SERI website.
Once deliberations are finished and consensus is reached by the R2 TAC, a full draft of the R2 Standard revision will be released for public comment.
Do you have any thoughts on the R2 Standards update? Do you want more information about it? Don’t hesitate to contact us today to start the conversation!
