MPC (Materials Processing Corporation)

OUR BLOG HAS TEMPORARILLY MOVED

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:12:00 +0000

OUR BLOG HAS TEMPORARILLY MOVED

Find our blog, industry updates, and other info about MPC at our new website:

www.mpc-e.com

Thanks for stopping by!

New Website Live!!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:43:00 +0000

Check out MPC's new website at www.mpc-e.com! Features including customer resources and guides, an RSS feed of industry news, and educational descriptions of our services, processes, standards and facilities have been added. Website visitors can use the contact page to schedule facility tours, request sponsorships and donations, and get quotes for any of our services. As MPC expands its services, we look forward to continuing to serve our customers by offering the most secure, environmentally sound, and economically beneficial way to manage the entire lifecycle of IT equipment, from purchasing new assets at affordable prices, to managing the return and disposal of any end-of-use devices.

Star Tribune profiles MPC

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 16:53:00 +0000

MPC was featured on the front page of the Star Tribune's business section yesterday in an article entitled "Taking out the tech trash" by Jackie Crosby.

Here is the full article:

Touring the plant at Materials Processing Corp. is like watching Santa's workshop in reverse.

Workers at the Eagan-based facility disassemble a personal computer in 10 seconds. A giant shredder turns circuit boards into bite-sized chunks that workers shovel into giant bins for recycling. Forklift operators in green and blue jumpsuits create mountains out of boxes stuffed with cables, keyboards, cell phones, TVs and computer screens.

If you've ever wondered what happened to the laptop you dropped off at Best Buy or the old TV you hauled to your curb on recycling day, chances are it ended up in a graveyard of gadgets just like this.

For companies such as Materials Processing Corp., known as MPC, Americans' unending need for electronics means growing business.

MPC collects all manner of electronics from businesses, municipalities and consumers and doesn't put a single scrap into a landfill. More than 95 percent of the aluminum, steel, copper wire, precious metals, plastic and glass gets recycled, and the other 5 percent gets turned into fuel at renewable energy plants, according to MPC.

"We don't own a single dumpster," said Todd Schachtman, MPC's president of global business development, highlighting a point of pride for the company.

Minnesota's laws have put the state at the forefront of the electronics-waste, or e-waste, movement. It has been illegal to throw away TVs and computers since 2006, and new regulations added in 2007 put the onus on electronics manufacturers to pay for recycling. The state now has more than 200 registered collection sites for consumer electronics, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

This growing e-cycling mind-set among businesses and consumers has cranked up the volume at MPC and other businesses that collect old electronics in Minnesota, including Asset Recovery, Waste Management and CRT Processing of Janesville, Wis.

MPC processed more than 20 million pounds of e-waste last year, a sevenfold increase from late 2006, when Schachtman and business partner David Kutoff, the CEO, bought the company. MPC got its start as a spinoff of Control Data in 1983. The number of employees has grown from 19 to 75 to handle the explosion in the electronics waste stream.

In 2007, MPC was overwhelmed by the unexpected number of consumers who showed up -- waiting for hours to drop off their electronics -- for what was supposed to be a three-day event at the Mall of America. The event was shut down early.

But MPC hasn't been immune to economic downturn. Its clients pay 15 cents to 35 cents a pound, depending on the material and category, for MPC to haul off and recycle the no-longer-needed electronics. But part of MPC's fortunes are closely tied to the price of copper, steel, aluminum and other metals.

Unlike scrap companies that can warehouse materials while waiting for market prices to go up, MPC sells its de-manufactured materials to other companies that rely on a steady stream of metals to make their own products.

When the bottom dropped out of the commodities market for base metals in late summer and early fall, MPC raised its processing charge 2 to 5 cents to help offset the decline. It also put off capital expansion plans, including a new processing facility it had hoped to open by now in Philadelphia. The company has four other collection centers across the United States in Baltimore, Chicago, Memphis and Tampa.

The work is highly labor-intensive, and requires a certain amount of expertise. A computer box contains five categories of material, for instance. The average worker on the processing floor at its Eagan facility has been with the company for more than 16 years, Schachtman said. And MPC recently beefed up its staff to handle the typical bump in material when people do their spring cleaning.

"Right now the economics of the business are such that the operational side has gone up a lot, but the cost of doing business has gone way up, too," Schachtman said.

Despite taking a hit from commodities in the third and fourth quarter, revenues last year increased by 81 percent, and MPC, while not giving specific sales numbers, expects them to double this year.

The main reason is that Schachtman and Kutoff are on something of an evangelical mission to find clients big and small, and to keep toxin-filled electronics out of landfills and out of third-world countries in Asia and Africa. Their clients include Hennepin County and Border Foods, which sponsored a deal where Pizza Hut deliveries also came with a postage-paid envelope for consumers to send their cell phones to MPC.

MPC is one of 32 companies that is certified by the Basel Action Network, a watchdog group named for the Swiss city that sponsored a treaty aimed at stopping developed countries from dumping toxic waste on poor ones. It also has two ISO certifications that require companies to adhere to strict environmental policies and quality management programs.

Keeping data private

But reducing toxins such as lead, mercury and cadmium is just part of the equation. Equally important is ensuring that private information contained on cell phones, PDAs and computers gets stripped clean before any parts get shipped downstream or repurposed for resale.

Companies are so concerned with protecting their data that they routinely spend up to $15,000 to audit MPC and the companies with which MPC does business.

"It's good to know at the end of the day we can rely on them," said Jason Todd, environmental program leader for LG Consumer Electronics, which has been working with MPC since summer to recycle mobile and handheld devices, including cell phones, GPS systems and PDAs. "We don't have to worry about where everything's going. It's being done responsibly."

MPC said it has recycled about 17.5 tons of cellular scrap for LG to date -- including 120,000 cell phones, 1,500 pounds of lithium ion batteries and 8,000 pounds of power adapters.

Commercial real estate company Welsch Properties recently teamed up with MPC to provide a free e-waste collection to tenants at all of its 200 office buildings in the Twin Cities. For Welsch, it's an added service at a time when the company is fighting to attract and keep businesses.

"It took me all of about 5 minutes to decide this was an absolute must-do," said Mark Parten, senior vice president of property management for the Minnetonka-based company. "It's another way to provide a convenience service for our customers. They have junk sitting in their back rooms and offices. It's just one less thing for them to have to worry about."

MPC might see an even brighter future under President Obama, who wants to reward businesses for creating green jobs with incentives to expand operations.

MPC also sees potential in its Reboot store, a retail outlet at its Eagan headquarters that sells refurbished flat-panel TVs, laptops, desktop computers and plenty of cables and other accessories.

Schachtman said 99 percent of the items MPC collects from consumers are at the end of their lives. But 10 to 15 percent of what gets collected -- most of it from businesses that are upgrading, moving or going out of business -- still has value and shows up on shelves at Reboot.

MPC quietly launched an online site for Reboot in October. It hopes to turn the store from the dominion of techno-geeks looking for hard-to-find parts into something with broader appeal for families and small businesses looking for a good deal.

Reboot's sales increased 70 percent in 2007 and 45 percent last year, something that helped minimize the punch from the commodities market, Schachtman said.

The company projects sales can increase to $45 million to $55 million by 2014, a six-fold increase from today, through acquisitions and expansion into new markets.

Said Schachtman: "Our goal is for people to see that e-cycling is the same as recycling paper."

Jackie Crosby • 612-673-7335

More from Guiyu: A photo gallery of e-waste in China

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 16:19:00 +0000

As you may remember, 60 Minutes did a spotlight on e-waste last November in which correspondent Scott Pelley traveled to Guiyu, China. In the latest issue of Time, Bryan Walsh gives a good overview of e-waste in the US and abroad. The online version of the story is accompanied by a gallery made up of photographs of Guiyu. Some of these photos follow below:

Photographs by Chien-min Chung / Reportage by Getty

E-waste sent overseas for processing to places like Guiyu has very detrimental effects on the health of the e-waste workers, and even the residents of the towns where this processing takes place:

"According to reports from nearby Shantou University, Guiyu has the highest level of cancer-causing dioxins in the world and an elevated rate of miscarriages."

Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to recycle electronics with firms that have promised to process everything they take in here in the United States. A list of these recyclers, which includes Materials Processing Corporation, can be found here.

Star Tribune: Minnesota's E-waste: Talking high-tech trash

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:52:00 +0000

An article describing e-waste in Minnesota appeared on the front page of the Star Tribune last Friday. MPC was touted as a Minnesota e-waste leader in the article:

"Much of Minnesota's e-waste collected by companies and government programs is hauled to a few firms that disassemble it. One of the largest, Materials Processing Corp. in Eagan, has seen its volume skyrocket from 3.4 million pounds in 2006 to an estimated 18 million pounds in 2008. 'Pretty much everything with an electronic pulse, we deal with,' said CEO David Kutoff. Materials Processing takes apart TVs and other equipment, a process known as 'demanufacturing,' and separates the plastic, circuit boards, leaded glass and other components before shipping them to specialized firms to be melted or smelted."

FOX 9 Highlights the Great Deals at Reboot

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 17:54:00 +0000

Last night, Reboot (MPC's resale store) was featured on FOX 9. Reporter Tim Blotz did a fantastic job showing what MPC and Reboot are all about. Here's some links to the story:

Video

News Story

Eagan Store Sells Must-Have Electronics for Cheap

EAGAN, Minn. (FOX 9) -- One person's trash is another person's treasure, the old saying goes. In this case, the trash is all the electronics people have taken to E-waste collections sites. Now, some of that trash could be your treasure -- and cheap. You can save hundreds, maybe even thousands of dollars on computers and TVs.

Inside this Eagan warehouse, the workers who tear apart electronic trash have found a way to put some of it back on the shelf. It's called "Reboot."

"We've been seeing how thrift stores have become much more popular, and this is kind of the same sort of thing. There someone might be looking for a new computer, a new TV but don't want to spend a lot of money. I think right here we might have a lot of good options for them," says Mike Schimelpfenig of Reboot.

Plasma and LCD TVs that still work are just $500 or less -- and most are name brands. Rows of PC computers towers sell for $80 to $200. Every one of them are tested, their hard drive erased.

They all came from more than 18 million pounds of E-waste collected at Materials Processing Company of Eagan. Here, nothing is trash. In one room, computer hard drives are shredded, separated, and boxed for recycling. In another room, mother boards are collected for their precious metals. Even the plastics are melted into other consumer products.

But it's the endless rows of TVs Reboot is looking to save. Many of them are rear-projection widescreens, all tested and put in the Reboot store for hundreds less than the original retail price. And they all come with a 60-day guarantee.

Schimelpfenig thanks the 'green' movement in part for the store's success. "It's much more effective to reuse something rather than throw it out in a landfill. So not only is it much more effective and you can get some great deals here, it's also something that's good for the environment as well," he says.

Refurbished Electronics Store Booming as Consumers Seek Value Holiday Gifts

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:15:00 +0000

Minneapolis, Minn. December 9, 2008—Reboot, a refurbished electronics store and online retailer that sells flat screen TVs, laptops and refurbished computers, is seeing more traffic than any other time in its 25 years in business – just as big box retailers across the country face the worst holiday shopping season since 2002 (according to the National Retail Federation).

The store — based in Eagan, Minn. — is now undergoing an expansion.

“People are really looking for great gifts at a discounted price this holiday season,” says Michael Schimelpfenig, Director of Sales, Reboot. “We’ve already seen such an increase in demand and traffic at our store in Eagan that we’ve added the Reboot online store to let shoppers check inventory and order from home if they need to.”

Part of Materials Processing Corporation (MPC), the refurbished electronics recycling company that masterminded the Mall of America electronics recycling event last November, Reboot has been in business for 25 years since opening as a mom and pop operation more than two decades ago. Sales of recycled TVs, laptops and refurbished computers are up 75 percent on last quarter and trending upward.

“Over the last few months, we’ve made a lot of changes at Reboot — extended hours, a wider selection of inventory, a 60-day warranty for purchases, even a new name,” says Schimelpfenig.

The changes are part of the reason the store has never seen such intense traffic from consumers shopping early and hard for a bargain. Among the inventory arriving each day on the store’s shelves are consumer electronics that have been rigorously tested, refurbished and readied for sale. Bargain hunters can pick up a name-brand refurbished computer with monitor for around $200 or a high quality, large screen plasma or LCD TV for between $500-600, a fraction of the price of similar products purchased new.

Most inventories are available online as well as on-shelf depending on a customer’s shopping preference, and as items are sold, new inventory is brought in from MPC’s neighboring eCycling warehouse and test center.

According to Schimelpfenig, one of the other reasons for the store’s increase in business is the environmental benefit of purchasing a refurbished product. The TVs, PCs, laptops, printers and accessories that are collected and refurbished by MPC and then resold by Reboot would otherwise have gathered dust in company storage facilities – or worse – ended up in landfill if not handled correctly. After testing and refurbishment at Reboot, they’re given new life and make ideal gifts for college students returning to college, a teenager’s bedroom or as a spare computer or TV at home.

“Reuse is the best form of recycling,” he says. “We have hundreds of computers coming into our electronics recycling warehouse every week that may only be two or three years old. Businesses turn over their computers regularly as they want the very latest technology, but these machines are more than capable of handling anything a college kid, teenager or family might need at home.”

Consumers can check the very latest product updates, featured items of the week and special deals at www.reboot-store.com or stop by in person at 2805 West Service Road, Eagan, MN. Store hours are Tuesday from 11 AM – 5 PM, Wednesday and Thursday from 11 AM – 7 PM, and Friday from 11 AM – 5 PM. The company specializes in selling refurbished computers, TVs and printers.

“There’s something for everyone at Reboot,” adds Michael Schimelpfenig. “And it’s good for the environment, too.”

About Materials Processing Corporation:
Materials Processing Corporation (MPC) is the country’s leading refurbished electronics recycling specialist with nationwide operations, collections and capabilities. Certified to the highest international, government and environmental standards MPC is one of the very few electronics recycling specialists in the United States to have ISO 9001 and ISO14001 certification. The company is a member of the Basel Area Network (BAN) and the eStewards Initiative, a global program to promote best practices in electronics recycling and eradicate e-waste dumping worldwide. Headquartered in Eagan, MN, for more than 25 years, MPC also operates a strict no landfill policy and has facilities and processing capabilities in Minnesota, California, Maryland, Tennessee, Illinois, Florida, Ohio and Colorado.

Why reuse is the best form of recycling for e-waste...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 19:14:00 +0000

It's been mentioned here before--reuse is the most effective form of recycling. Here's why:

In a 2004 study, researchers from United Nations University found that manufacturing one desktop computer and a 17-inch CRT monitor uses at least 529 pounds of fossil fuels, 48 pounds of chemicals and 3,300 pounds of water--a total of nearly two tons of material! All told, computers require at least 10 times their weight in fossil fuels and chemicals to be manufactured. Contrast that to automobiles or refrigerators, which require only 1-2 times their weight in fossils fuels.

Due to the fact that the majority of energy used over the life cycle of a computer comes during the manufacturing process, the energy savings potential of reusing a computer is some 5-20 times greater than recycling.

A look back at the Great Minnesota eCycling Event

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 22:03:00 +0000

Just over a year ago, MPC, along with the Mall of America, held the largest (at the time) electronics recycling event ever undertaken in the U.S.

Over 85 semi-loads were collected, totaling over 1,500,000 pounds. The event, scheduled for three days, had to be cut short midway through the second day due to such an overwhelming response--which even led to traffic backing up on Interstate 494 near MOA.

After processing everything collected, we determined that 95.3 percent of the material collected was recycled, while 4.7 percent went towards renewable energy.

We here at MPC are very proud of the success of the Great Minnesota eCycling Event. However, we are even more proud of the conversations about responsible electronics recycling that the event sparked.

Introducing Reboot!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:37:00 +0000

Today, Materials Processing Corporation is happy to announce the launch of our e-commerce site, Reboot (www.reboot-store.com).

Why Reboot? We feel that the name does a great job signifying what we do—bringing new life to end-of-life computers, televisions, and other electronics.

Reboot will be selling a variety of new and refurbished computers, televisions, components, and other electronics. It will provide another means for our clients to receive a maximum return on their assets.

Please browse our site and let us know if you have any questions or feedback at sales@reboot-store.com.

If you find something you like on our site, please use the coupon code WELCOME to save 10% (coupon code expires November 30, 2008). This code should be entered after “Coupon Code or Gift Card” at the shopping cart screen.

Celebrate America Recycles Day on Saturday, November 15

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:48:00 +0000

The 11th annual America Recycles Day, sponsored by the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) and the EPA, will be held on November 15. America Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products--a cause near and dear to our hearts here at MPC.

In honor of America Recycles Day, here is a top ten list of why you should recycle ( courtesy of the NRC):

1. Good For Our Economy
American companies rely on recycling programs to provide the raw materials they need to make new products.

2. Creates Jobs
Recycling in the U.S. is a $236 billion a year industry. More than 56,000 recycling and reuse enterprises employ 1.1 million workers nationwide.

3. Reduces Waste
The average American discards seven and a half pounds of garbage every day. Most of this garbage goes into to landfills, where it's compacted and buried.

4. Good For The Environment
Recycling requires far less energy, uses fewer natural resources, and keeps waste from piling up in landfills.

5. Saves Energy
Recycling offers significant energy savings over manufacturing with virgin materials. (Manufacturing with recycled aluminum cans uses 95% less energy.)

6. Preserves Landfill Space
No one wants to live next door to a landfill. Recycling preserves existing landfill space.

7. Prevents Global Warming
In 2000, recycling of solid waste prevented the release of 32.9 million metric tons of carbon equivalent (MMTCE, the unit of measure for greenhouse gases) into the air.

8. Reduces Water Pollution
Making goods from recycled materials generates far less water pollution than manufacturing from virgin materials.

9. Protects Wildlife
Using recycled materials reduces the need to damage forests, wetlands, rivers and other places essential to wildlife.

10. Creates New Demand
Recycling and buying recycled products creates demand for more recycled products, decreasing waste and helping our economy.

60 Minutes report on e-waste: The Electronic Wasteland

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:25:00 +0000

Yesterday, 60 Minutes did a report on the e-waste problem in Guiyu, China.

We here at MPC feel that 60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley did a great job of revealing the dangers of working with unscrupulous electronics recyclers. When selecting an electronics recycler, make sure to do your due diligence. Check out if they have signed Basel Action Network's e-Steward pledge and ask for their downstream audit records.

If you missed it, the full segment can be seen below:

Watch CBS Videos Online

Activists and Materials Processing Corporation join forces to create certification program for responsible electronics recycling

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:07:00 +0000

E-Stewards commit to no more dumping in landfills or developing countries

Minneapolis, Minn., November 10, 2008 — The Basel Action Network and the Electronics TakeBack Coalition joined with 32 electronics recyclers including Eagan-based Materials Processing Corporation (MPC) today to announce the development of the e-Stewards Initiative — a new certification program for North America’s most responsible e-waste recyclers.

The e-Steward Initiative will become the first independently audited and accredited electronic waste recycler certification program forbidding the dumping of toxic e-waste in developing countries, local landfills and incinerators; the use of prison labor; and the unauthorized release of private data.

“Unfortunately today, most of those companies calling themselves electronics recyclers are scammers,” said Sarah Westervelt, e-Stewards project coordinator at the Basel Action Network (BAN) in Seattle. “They simply load up containers of old computers and ship them off to China or Africa. By choosing an e-Steward recycler, consumers and large businesses are assured that their old computers and TVs will be safely managed, and not simply tossed into a local landfill, processed unsafely by prison laborers, or exported to developing countries.”

Today’s e-Stewards announcement follows Sunday’s exposé on CBS’ 60 Minutes, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s recently aired Electronic Dumping Ground, and a recent episode of the French Canadian Program Panorama, Electronic Waste: The Hidden Face of Recycling (French). These programs reveal that computers given to many recyclers in the United States and Canada are likely to be dumped in China or Africa, where e-waste is causing immeasurable environmental and health problems.

“Currently, the truly responsible recyclers in the US and Canada face unfair competition from the thousands of unethical, so-called ‘waste recyclers’ in North America that would more accurately be called ‘waste shippers,’” said David Kutoff, CEO and e-Steward member, MPC. “We strongly support a certified, audited program to separate the legitimate recyclers from the low-road operators.”

In September, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) also released a report, Electronic Waste: EPA Needs to Better Control Harmful U.S. Exports through Stronger Enforcement and More Comprehensive Regulation, denouncing the lack of government controls and enforcement over e-waste exports.

The e-Stewards already include 32 companies in 92 locations that have been qualified by BAN. Today, BAN announced that by early 2010 the program will feature an ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) certification system with third party auditing. The funding to create this robust certification program was provided by 14 recycling companies designated as e-Steward Founders.

“The e-Stewards project is a response to the failure of government and industry to act as responsible global citizens in the age of information technology,” said Jim Puckett, BAN executive director. “It is also a wonderful example of how industry leaders and activists can move mountains when they work together — in this case, move mountains of e-waste to truly responsible recyclers only.”

For more information about:
• Materials Processing Corporation: www.mpc-e.com
• the e-Stewards Initiative: www.e-Stewards.org
• global e-waste dumping: www.ban.org
• the Electronics TakeBack Coalition: www.computertakeback.com

Trip to Chinese e-waste dump proves hazardous for 60 Minutes correspondent

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 17:30:00 +0000

60 Minutes correspondent Scott Pelley and his crew recently traveled to Guiyu, China to document the illegal e-waste trade when they were jumped by a group of men overseeing the e-waste operations.

The attackers were trying to protect their business of mining junked computers, televisions, and other electronics for their components. E-waste workers in Guiyu "use caustic chemicals and burn the plastic parts to get at the valuable components, often releasing toxins that they not only inhale, but release into the air, the ground and the water". These practices have led to the city having the highest level of cancer-causing dioxins in the world.

Pelley's investigation into the illegal e-waste trade will be broadcast Sunday, November 9, at 7 p.m. ET/PT on CBS.

Source: CBS News

EPA Releases Responsible Recycling (R2) Guidelines

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 19:32:00 +0000

The Responsible Recycling (R2) Practices for Use in Accredited Certification Programs is a set of voluntary guidelines to assess electronics recyclers’ environmental, worker health and safety, and security practices.

The practices, developed by a multi-stakeholder group, are set forth below. Each practice is followed by an explanation of how Materials Processing Corporation (MPC) is meeting, and exceeding, these guidelines.

1. Develop and use a management system that covers environmental, worker safety and public health practices on-site and downstream management of end-of-life (EOL) equipment and materials.

MPC is one of the very few electronics recyclers to operate under ISO-14001 certification, the highest worldwide certification for environmental management systems. We are constantly striving to improve our environmental management systems.

2. Establish a policy that promotes reuse and materials recovery for EOL equipment and materials.

Here at MPC, we believe that reuse is the most effective form of recycling. For this reason, we salvage a large percentage of EOL equipment that we believe to be reusable, refurbish this equipment, and sell it in Reboot, our electronics store. If we don’t believe that the equipment is salvageable, over 95.3% of the components are sent for materials recovery, while the remainder goes towards renewable energy. Nothing that enters our facility is landfilled.

3. Comply with environmental, health, and safety legal requirements, both domestically and internationally, that are applicable to the recyclers' operations.

Our ISO-9001 and ISO-14001 classifications force us to constantly improve our standards and practices through both internal and external audits. We also are compliant with all Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations.

4. Use practices to reduce exposures and emissions during recycling operations.

MPC takes all necessary precautions (ventilation systems, protective equipment, etc.) to ensure the safety of our workers and the well-being of our environment while we are recycling.

5. Export (or arrange for the export of) focus materials only to foreign countries that accept them. Focus materials are: cathode ray tubes (CRTs) and CRT glass; circuit boards (unless they have had batteries and mercury-containing items removed and are lead free); batteries; and items containing mercury and/or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), both in EOL equipment and when separated as components.

The vast majority of MPC’s (and our partners) recycling is done here in the US, including batteries, CRTs, and CRT glass. Our circuit boards are refined at a state-of-the-art processing facility in Europe. No focus materials are exported to foreign countries that do not accept them.

6. Send EOL equipment and all material derived from this equipment, that contain focus materials only to facilities that are properly licensed to receive these materials, and use technology designed to safely and effectively manage these materials - whether in the U.S. or another country.

We audit all of our downstream vendors through the MPC Certified Program. These partners must pass our rigorous environmental audits before they can become an approved vendor. As part of the certification program, we also ensure that potential vendors have sound on-site recycling, employee care and community involvement practices in place.

7. Ensure that an electronics recycler does not use energy recovery, incineration, or land disposal as a management strategy for focus materials or equipment and components containing focus materials. However, if circumstances beyond the control of the R2 recycler disrupt its normal management of a focus material, it may consider these technologies to the extent allowed under applicable law.

Focus materials are recycled in the most-environmentally manner possible. No focus materials are sent for energy recovery, incineration, and land disposal.

8. Exercise due diligence in ensuring that downstream recyclers and processors manage recycled materials appropriately, throughout the downstream recycling chain.

The MPC Certified Program ensures that our downstream partners manage recycled materials appropriately.

9. Ensure that materials going for reuse are refurbished and tested for functionality, and residual focus materials are managed responsibly.

Materials that are sold in our store, Reboot, are tested, then refurbished, then tested again. If these materials fail the test at any juncture, they are sent for teardown—and ultimately recycling. We only sell working materials.

10. Ensure that personal data on EOL electronics going to reuse or recycling are cleared or destroyed.

All hard drives that are sold for reuse are wiped to United States Department of Defense (5220.22) specifications. Any other devices containing personal data are shredded and destroyed.

11. Track throughput and keep records; store and transport material securely and safely; and possess insurance, closure plans, and financial mechanisms to cover the potential risks of the facility.

Materials are tracked the instance they enter our facility until they completely processed. Customer privacy and data security are of the utmost importance to MPC—materials that contain data are either sanitized to Department of Defense specifications or physically shredded and destroyed. MPC has contingency plans in place to deal with any potential risks of the business.

Minnesota E-Waste Specialist Joins Global Fight to Stop Toxic Trade

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 15:32:00 +0000

Materials Processing Corporation Signs On to Basel Action Network; Vows to Educate Businesses about Problems Facing Third World Waste Dumping

Minneapolis, Minn., October 28, 2008 – Materials Processing Corporation (MPC), one of the country’s fastest growing electronics recycling specialists today took their fight against toxic e-waste to the next, global, level by joining the Basel Action Network (BAN). The move follows the company’s nationwide effort in 2007 to help other electronics recyclers raise environmental standards across the industry.

“The electronics recycling industry has come a long way in the last few years,” says Todd Schachtman, President Global Business Development, Materials Processing Corporation. “Like MPC there are a few companies who place an extremely high value on both quality and environmental standards, but unfortunately there is still work to be done educating smaller, older recyclers to improve their environmental operations.”

Materials Processing Corporation, which runs a one hundred percent no landfill facility in Eagan, Minnesota, and processes all waste on site, will become a leading member of BAN’s E-Waste Stewardship Project. The project, a consortium of like-minded electronics recyclers and manufacturers, is dedicated to providing education about, and eradicating, the export of electronic waste to poor or developing countries. It’s ultimate goal is to eradicate the transportation and export of toxic electronic waste to third world, poor or developing countries and to ensure the practice is replaced with manufacturer responsibility and both green designs and legislation.

“MPC signing the BAN pledge today is an example of the level of environmental stewardship we expect from our partners,” says Daniel Kim, General Manager of Environmental Compliance, LG Electronics USA, Inc., a partner of MPC. “That level of commitment is central to our policy at LG and we believe ultimately it will benefit the earth’s environment.”

“We’re thrilled to be working with MPC,” says Yuka Takamiya, Basel Action Network. “They have both an excellent and irrefutable reputation for environmental stewardship as well as a real passion and commitment to helping others in the industry improve their operational and environmental protocols as much as they can. They’re a true leader.”

Schachtman adds that Materials Processing Corporation is not trying to dictate how any company should run their business. “We’re just offering our expertise to anyone looking for assistance or knowledge about how to run a one hundred percent clean eCycling operation. This isn’t about MPC, it’s about the global environment and the future,” he says.

For more information about eCycling and MPC visit www.mpc-e.com

About Materials Processing Corporation (MPC) (www.mpc-e.com) Materials Processing Corporation (MPC) is the country’s leading electronics recycling specialist with nationwide operations, collections and capabilities. Certified to the highest international, government and environmental standards MPC is one of the very few electronics recycling specialists in the United States to have ISO 9001 and ISO14001 certification. Headquartered in Eagan, MN, for more than 25 years, the company operates a strict no landfill policy and has facilities and processing capabilities in Minnesota, California, Maryland, Tennessee, Illinois, Florida, Ohio and Colorado.

About BAN (www.ban.org) BAN is the world's only organization focused on confronting the global environmental injustice and economic inefficiency of toxic trade (toxic wastes, products and technologies) and its devastating impacts. Working at the nexus of human rights and environment, BAN confronts the issues of environmental justice at a macro level, preventing disproportionate and unsustainable dumping of the world's toxic waste and pollution on the global village's poorest residents. At the same time BAN actively promotes the sustainable and just solutions to our consumption and waste crises -- banning waste trade, while promoting green, toxic free and democratic design of consumer products.BAN is a primary, demonstrable program of Earth Economics based in Seattle, Washington, a registered  501(c)3 charitable organization of the United States.

About the E-Waste Stewardship Project Program to ensure that exports of hazardous electronic waste (particularly from the USA) to developing countries, exposed by BAN, are eliminated and replaced with producer responsibility and green design programs/legislation.

Best Buy leads the way in retail electronics take-back

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 21:02:00 +0000

In a recent report from the Consumer Electronics Association, MPC partner Best Buy was found to be the retail leader in responsible take-back. From the report:

"Best Buy makes recycling consumer electronics products easy. Its new take-back program, launched at 117 stores in summer 2008, allows consumers to bring in monitors, TVs, and similar devices for free recycling, no matter where the items were purchased. This is the first ongoing program of such broad scope at a retail store in the United States and is an extension of Best Buy’s previous special recycling events that brought in 1,700 tons of electronics during 2007."

As you can see, Best Buy is doing a great job in eliminating the amount of e-waste headed to landfills. To learn more, check out the full report. It is available at the CEA's website: "Environmental Sustainability and Innovation in the Consumer Electronics Industry".

State CIOs reveal top priorities for 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:53:00 +0000

The National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) released the State CIO's Top Ten Policy and Technology Priorities for 2009 on Wednesday.

Green IT policies, energy efficiency, power management, green procurement and e-waste all found their way onto the list.

The CIOs said that green IT can no longer be considered a fad or political ploy. Ken Theis, Michigan's CIO, said that he feels that CIOs need to take a leadership role in pushing green technology and suggested that states should appoint chief greening officers. "We are at a crossroads," Theis said. "Green technology is something that is critical now but it is soon to be a mandate."

Source: ChannelWeb

Coming Soon...

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 20:39:00 +0000

Do you know where your e-waste ends up?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:15:00 +0000

A recent investigation has found that 6.6 million tons of e-waste from the EU are unaccounted for each year. Unfortunately, most of this toxic waste ends up in Africa and Asia. The flow of e-waste is threatening to drown out West African nations like Nigeria and Ghana.

What can you do to ensure that your e-waste is being recycled in a responsible manner? US citizens can recycle their e-waste with a member of the Basel Action Network (BAN) e-Stewards program. These members have been qualified by BAN staff as recyclers that uphold the Electronics Recycler's Pledge of True Stewardship.

For more information on the investigation, see the Consumers International website.

Greening your computer

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 16:11:00 +0000

A basic PC and monitor left on all the time consume 1,109 kilowatt-hours a year. This does not only increase the owner's carbon footprint--it also costs the average American $126 a year in electricity.

Azadeh Ensha of the New York Times outlined several easy tips for greening your PC in his article entitled "It Comes in Beige or Black, but You Make It Green".

Lowering Electricity Consumption

Shutting your computer down after an eight hour workday will provide 16 hours of savings each day.
Set your energy-saving preferences to put your computer to sleep after an extended period of inactivity.
Lose the photo screensaver. These use the hard drive, your computer's graphic card, and your monitor.
Even if your desktop or laptop is turned off, it is still using "phantom" power if it is plugged in. So, unplug your electronic devices when they are not being used or, even easier, purchase a device like the Smart Strip power strip that senses which devices have been turned off and then cuts power to them.
Download a free power-management tool that show you how much energy you can save by adjusting various settings--and will actually make the changes for you with a few clicks.

Purchasing a New Computer

If you are looking for a new computer or monitor, make sure you get an Energy Star model. Energy Star computers must meet EPA guidelines in three areas: standby, active, and sleep modes.
Buy a laptop. In general, laptops are greener than desktops because they are designed with power sensitivity in mind.

Recycle your Old Computer

Don't send your electronics to the landfill. Not only is it illegal in some states, but it will lead to the leaching of toxic chemicals into the ground.
Use a reputable recycler (a list of which can be found here). These recyclers will reuse whatever parts they can and recycle everything else in a responsible manner. Many of them, including MPC, will even recycle your electronics for free.

Delhi becoming the world's e-waste capital

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:54:00 +0000

Recent estimates from government agencies and business organizations show that over 25,000 people handle 50,000 tonnes (110,231,130 pounds) of e-waste in various scrap yards across Delhi each year.

By extracting usable parts from old computers and dumping everything else, Indian importers can generate about $10 dollars in revenue per computer. According to Abhishek Pratap of Greenpeace India, “the informal recycling business in Delhi alone is over Rs 2,000 cr" (or about $415.9 million).

Informal recycling, which is both lucrative and rarely punished, is to blame for the e-waste problem in India. However, proper legislation on the recycling of e-waste has yet to be developed.

To protect Delhi's 25,000 e-waste workers from toxic chemicals, it is important to only work with reputable recyclers that will not export e-waste overseas.

Source: Hindustan Times
Photo via Greenpeace India @ flickr

New Zealand's e-waste drive a big success

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:20:00 +0000

eDay, the electronics recycling drive organized by Computer Access New Zealand, collected 946 tonnes (or about 2,085,000 pounds) last Saturday, October 4. It is believed that as a few more site's totals are counted, the sum could reach over 1,000 tonnes.

eDay is a community initiative designed to raise awareness of the hazardous nature of electronic waste, while offering an easy way for households to dispose of old computers and mobile phones in an environmentally sustainable manner.

This year's collection more than doubled last year's, where 415 tonnes were collected at 12 sites. An additional 20 collection sites were added for 2008 for a total of 32 sites.

The eDay effort was supported by local governments, industry partners, and volunteers. More about the event can be learned at the eDay website.

We here at MPC applaud such a comprehensive, nationwide effort and look forward to more good things to come from Computer Access New Zealand and the eDay effort.

Over 346,000 cell phones are retired EVERY DAY in the United States

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 20:18:00 +0000

Photograph by Chris Jordan
Statistics from EPA

Will my TV work after February 17, 2009?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 16:50:00 +0000

It may surprise some that the well-hyped digital TV transition taking place next February will only affect those receiving signals from "bunny ears" or a rooftop antenna. If you are a part of the group affected, here is what you need to do before February 17 to ensure uninterupted signals:

1. Buy a converter box that will plug into your analog TV;
2. Connect your analog TV to cable, satellite or other pay service; or
3. Buy a TV with a digital tuner.

"How can I tell if my TV has a digital tuner?"

"The best way to determine whether your TV set has a digital tuner built in is to consult your owner’s manual. NTSC in the manual or on the back of the TV means that the TV is analog. Or look on your TV set for an input connection labeled 'digital input' or 'ATSC' (for Advanced Television Systems Committee, which is digital TV format). If that’s not possible, you may be able to look up information about your TV set on the manufacturer’s Web site." (source: EPA).

"How do I get a converter box?"

"Using a converter box will help extend the life of your analog TV by enabling you to continue to receive over-the-air broadcasts. A converter box converts digital transmission to analog so your analog TV will continue to receive television broadcasts after February 17, 2009. Certified digital-to-analog converter boxes are expected to cost between $50-$70. To help consumers pay for the converter boxes, the federal government is offering US households up to two $40 coupons. Coupons are free, but they expire after 90 days and supply is limited. Upon request, coupons will be mailed to you by the federal government.

To apply for your converter box coupons visit www.DTV2009.gov or call 1-888-DTV-2009 (1-888-388-2009). For more information on the TV converter box coupon program please visit www.DTV2009.gov. The site also enables you to locate a converter box retailer near you." (source: EPA).

"Where can I recycle my old TV?"

The website Earth911.org is an online database that allows you to input your location and type of item to be recycled and then provides a list of locations that will recycle the items for you. Additionally, you can cross-check these locations with Basel Action Network's e-Stewards list. The e-Stewards are companies that have been qualified by the Basel Action Network as recyclers that uphold the Electronics Recycler's Pledge of True Stewardship--the World's Most Rigorous Environmental and Social Justice Criteria for Recycling e-Waste!

For more information on the digital TV transition, check out DTV.gov.