R2 Solutions to Manage Comprehensive R2 Certification

R2 Solutions Launched as New Non-Profit Organization for Managing Comprehensive R2 Certification Practices Program for Responsible Recycling of Electronic Scrap

Washington, D.C. — The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc (ISRI) and its more than 1,550 members join in supporting the announcement of the creation of R2 Solutions, a stand-alone, non-profit organization formed to manage and continually develop the Responsible Recycling (R2) Certified Electronics Recycler^® Program within the Recycling Industry Operating Standard (RIOS).

R2 Solutions will oversee the R2 Practices which provides a comprehensive set of standards for electronics recyclers that require responsible management of used computers and consumer electronics.  The R2 Practices, were developed under the aegis of an EPA facilitated, multi-stakeholder process that has been accredited by the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board as a third party auditable global standard.

To date, there are 21 electronics recycling facilities certified to the R2 Practices – a set of requirements that establishes a high bar for quality, environmental protection, health & safety, and data security, and that precludes shipping of hazardous materials to countries that have laws prohibiting their import.

“ISRI, as one of the original supporters of the R2 Practices, applauds the creation of R2 Solutions as a stand-alone, non-profit organization, whose sole purpose is to manage and sustainably develop the R2 Practices in an open, transparent manner,” stated Robin Wiener, president of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI).  “We firmly believe that a neutral, third-party organization such as R2 Solutions is a more appropriate administrator of the R2 Program going forward, and we [ISRI] look forward to its progress in advancing responsible electronics recycling globally.”

The newly created R2 Solutions body will manage continual development of R2 Practices, with standards development and stakeholder consultations on R2 Practices publicly available.  A full set of standards is available at www.r2solutions.org.

With the creation of R2 Solutions, a governance structure embraced by the EPA, vendors can now have confidence that used electronic equipment is being recycled safely and responsibly by accredited recyclers.

R2 Solutions will act as the Secretariat for the R2 Standard, and the governing council empanelled by R2 Solutions will operate under a set of bylaws that will require a decision-making forum, including an appeals process, in which all interested stakeholders may participate. T

he Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries and its more than 1,550 members represents over 350 electronics refurbishers and recyclers ISRI has been a charter member of the R2 efforts since its inception and offers R2 certification as part of its Certified Electronics Recycler^® Program.  (www.CertifiedElectronicsRecycler.com)

 

LifeSpan Achieves R2/RIOS and ISO 14001:2004 Certifications

Becomes the only company to hold four key certifications

Newton, MA – September 28, 2010 – LifeSpan Technology Recycling announced today that it has achieved R2/RIOS and ISO 14001:2004 certifications at all of its North American processing facilities, making it one of only four companies nationwide to achieve both of these rigorous designations.  LifeSpan was audited for compliance with these standards by SGS, an independent third-party certification body accredited by ANAB, the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board.  In addition, LifeSpan is already certified for electronic data sanitization by the National Association For Information Destruction (“NAID”) and is a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher.  The company’s achievement of all four designations  represents a unique accomplishment in the IT Asset Disposal (“ITAD”) industry.

R2/RIOS is the most comprehensive certification program in the ITAD industry.  It combines the Recycling Industry Operating Standard (“RIOS”) certification developed by the Institute for Scrap Recycling Industries (“ISRI”) with the Responsible Recycling (“R2”) practices facilitated by the Environmental Protection Agency and key stakeholders.  Companies achieving R2/RIOS certification are designated as “Certified Electronics Recyclers®”.  ISO 14000 is a global standard for environmental management systems.  The aim of the standard is to reduce the environmental footprint of a business and to decrease the pollution and waste that a business produces.

“Our achievement of the R2/RIOS and ISO 14001:2004 certifications further underscore LifeSpan’s commitment to state-of-the-art quality, environmental, and health & safety management systems,” stated LifeSpan President Dag Adamson.  “Many electronics recycling companies fail to uphold their claims of transparency and accountability. This creates risk for organizations that believe they are sending equipment to someone who will recycle it appropriately.  Independent third-party certifications, such as R2/RIOS and ISO 14001:2004 provide customers with external assurance that their recycler’s assertions are legitimate.”

“We are very pleased that LifeSpan Technology Recycling has become the newest Certified Electronics Recycler®.   The company’s commitment to responsible electronics recycling is another testament to the growing numbers of recyclers doing the right thing by adopting this forward-looking program designed to protect worker health, safety, and the environment,” stated Robin Wiener, president of the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries.

Information about RIOS can be found on ISRI’s website:

https://www.isri.org/RIOS

The R2 standard can be found at the US EPA’s web site:

http://www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/materials/ecycling/r2practices.htm

Certified Electronics Recycler® facilities are listed at:

http://www.certifiedelectronicsrecycler.com

About LifeSpan Technology Recycling:

Founded in 2002, LifeSpan Technology Recycling is a managed services company that provides electronic asset retirement services to corporations, municipalities, and not-for profit organizations nationwide.  LifeSpan offers companies and organizations the flexibility of handling large quantities of equipment with a customized program. We also manage a full range of end-of-life information security issues for our clients.  LifeSpan works exclusively with EPA-registered and regulation-compliant partners to maintain the highest standards of environmental protection and ethical business practices.

About SGS Group:

SGS North America is a member of the SGS Group, a global Control and Inspection company, represented in more than 130 countries by 210 affiliated companies.   SGS is the world’s leading certification body for management systems.  The company conducts management system audits including RIOS, R2, ISO 14001, ISO 9001 and OHSAS 18001 for the recycling industry.  SGS auditors are certified to RIOS and R2 and cross-trained to other QEH&S management systems.

About ISRI:

The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries Inc. is the non-profit trade association that is the “Voice of the Recycling Industry.”  Based in Washington, D.C., ISRI represents more than 1,600 private and public for-profit companies that process, broker, and industrially consume scrap commodities, including ferrous and nonferrous metals, paper, electronics, rubber, plastics, glass, and textiles. ISRI members employ more than 50,000 individuals and operate at more than 3,000 facilities worldwide, more than 80 percent of which are located in the United States.

Click here for the Press Release

The Examiner Examines LifeSpan

LifeSpan is local and national source for technology recycling

August 13th, 2010 8:31 am

By: Brad McCracken

Boston Green Technologies Examiner

Destruction and disposal of technology (computers, printers, monitors, etc.) is a problematic effort for many businesses small and large. Adding recycling to the wish of disposal regarding technological resources complicates the dilemma. Finding a technology recycling company with a strong ethic and consistent environmental stewardship is an even larger challenge. One local company, LifeSpan Technology Recycling, headquartered in Newton is a solution provider for small businesses, large businesses, non profits, municipalities and system integrators. LifeSpan provides electronic asset retirement and data destruction services. They have the ability and flexibility of handling large quantities of equipment while customizing programs.

One such program offered by LifeSpan is their TCO Recovery ™ program which is a revenue sharing program for companies that have assets with remaining resale or other economic value. This is a method of achieving maximum return for recycled equipment. Newer equipment that is being upgraded and replaced can be recycled under the TCO Recovery ™ program while other equipment that is older with no real value can also be handled under different programs. LifeSpan helps customers determine the best method of disposal of the equipment and assets. Adding to this value, LifeSpan also provides a Certificate of Destruction certifying that all equipment was handled in accordance with federal, state and local laws.

Complete Article Here

Data Privacy Presentation

LifeSpan had the privilege to present the following report on data privacy at the Institute of scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) national convention and exposition that was held in San Diego several weeks ago.  With over 4,500 attendees, ISRI is the largest recycling conference in North America.  Among the topics addressed by LifeSpan President Dag Adamson were Data Destruction Services, Sanitization Technology, Benchmarking Strategies, and Third-Party Certifications.

Attached is our presentation on data destruction: ISRI Data Destruction Presentation

Some of the highlights include:

• What are the market drivers for certifications
• Highlights AAA NAID Certification
• Options
• Sanitization Technology
• Debunking The triple pass myth (it no longer equals DOD)
• Latest Standard NIST 800-88
• Benchmarking Strategies

For more information please email us: info@lifespanrecycling.com or visit us at www.lifespanrecycling.com.