National Center for Electronics Recycling Celebrates Ten Years
Vienna, WV (PRWEB) September 25, 2015 -- The National Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER), a non-profit organization based in Vienna, W.Va., is celebrating its ten year anniversary in 2015. NCER was incorporated in March 2005 in order to coordinate initiatives and research and to enhance the national infrastructure for recycling used electronics in the U.S. In addition to marking the 10th year of operation of NCER, 2015 also represents the 5th year of the Electronics Recycling Coordination Clearinghouse (ERCC), an initiative managed by NCER and the Northeast Recycling Council (NERC) that brings the state agencies implementing electronics recycling laws together with the electronics industry. The key focus of the ERCC is to harmonize and simplify the administration of the patchwork of state electronics recycling laws.
To mark these milestones, NCER has launched a revamped logo and flagship website at http://www.electronicsrecycling.org. The redesigned site features posts on key initiatives and news, and serves as a gateway to NCER’s sites for three major ongoing projects: ERCC, the Oregon State Contractor Program, and the Vermont State Standard Plan. Other research projects and past efforts are also featured in a streamlined format. In addition, Jason Linnell, NCER’s co-founder and Executive Director, has recently written an article that was published in Resource Recycling. This article reflects on the last ten years in the electronics recycling industry and can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/NCER10years.
NCER’s key successes over the past 10 years include data-gathering efforts and on-the-ground collection efforts, as well as the convening of stakeholders to find common solutions to challenges. Examples of such accomplishments include:
•Establishment through funding from the Mid-Atlantic Recycling Center for End-of-Life Electronics (MARCEE) Project, a consortium including West Virginia University, the Polymer Alliance Zone, and others.
•Coordination of a series of collection events in West Virginia that diverted hundreds of thousands of pounds from landfills prior to the passage of the WV electronics recycling law and landfill ban on certain electronic devices.
•Award and initiation of the Oregon State Contractor Program in 2008, which includes management of a statewide network of collectors and recyclers. Since 2009 through the middle of 2015, this program has recycled more than 51 million pounds.
•Formation of the ERCC membership organization in 2010 with 20 Founding Members, which has grown to 45 members in the last five years across state government, manufacturers, recyclers, and others.
•Launch of the eCycleRegistration website under ERCC that allows manufacturers to complete required annual registration forms under 7 state recycling laws. To date, over 200 manufacturers have created accounts to submit their data.
•Award and management of the Vermont State Standard Plan in 2014. This includes oversight of a network of nearly 100 collectors under a program that has seen the highest per capita collection volumes of any program.
“It is an exciting time for us,” says Heather Smith, NCER’s Senior Manager. “Looking back on the last ten years, we have accomplished so much. I always say that we are small, but we are mighty. Our little Mid-Ohio Valley-based organization has succeeded in helping move electronics recycling forward in a big way.”
Jason Linnell, NCER’s co-founder and Executive Director noted, “This has been an incredible journey and it’s very rewarding to reflect on the accomplishments of this organization over the past decade. The electronics recycling industry is changing at a rapid pace and facing daunting challenges, but NCER’s role in gathering key data and implementing successful programs is a foundation that will have lasting impact.”
For more information about NCER, contact Jason Linnell at 304-699-1008 or visit their website at http://www.electronicsrecycling.org.
Jason Linnell, National Center for Electronics Recycling, http://www.electronicsrecycling.org, +1 (304) 699-1008, [email protected]
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