R2 recycling – what is it and should you care?

If you’re like most people, you probably don’t think about recycling very often. You might recycle your plastic bottles and aluminium cans, but what about the other stuff? Computers, phones, printers – all of that electronic waste ends up in landfills. This is where R2 recycling comes in.

R2 certified recyclers are committed to keeping e-waste out of landfills and ensuring that your data is securely destroyed. In this article, we’ll tell you all about R2 recycling and why it’s so important!

Who are SERI?

The R in R2 stands for Responsible Recycling. This means that certified recyclers must follow strict guidelines set by the Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI). SERI is a non-profit organisation that promotes responsible recycling of electronic waste.

SERI’s Board of Directors and its R2 Technical Advisory Committee comprise diverse groups of individuals representing recyclers, customers of recyclers, government, purchasing officials, nonprofit organisations, certification bodies, OEMs, and others. This enables SERI to understand and incorporate the political, sociological, and economic dimensions – not just the environmental and technical – into the solutions it helps craft.

SERI has the expertise to administer the R2 Certification Program with help from a widely diverse and experienced Board. SERI is keenly familiar with the multi-dimensional challenges relating to refurbishing and final disposition of electronics, including those that confront many developing countries and regions of the world.

What is R2 recycling?

The R2 Standard provides a common set of criteria to recognise responsible reuse and recycling practices, all along the used portion of the electronics lifecycle. R2 Certification is the formal program for evaluating and monitoring businesses in meeting the R2 Standard, protecting of the environment, the health and safety of workers, and communities, and positively impacting the movement toward a sustainable circular economy while, enriching the lives of people all around the world.

Here are some areas that R2 certified recycling covers:

Data destruction

When you recycle your old electronics, you need to be sure that your data is secure. R2 electronic recyclers use a process called data sanitisation to make sure that your data is destroyed before the recycling process begins. This ensures that your personal information stays safe and out of the wrong hands.

ITAD

ITAD stands for Information Technology Asset Disposition. This is the process of recycling or remarketing your old electronics. As a business you get maximum return on your investment, while ensuring that your data is destroyed and your electronics are recycled responsibly.

Escrap / recycling

Many vendors make claims about their recycling processes, but not all of them are true. Escrap and recycling refers to the process of actually breaking down electronic waste into its component parts. This is done in a controlled environment by trained workers using the latest technology. R2 certified recyclers must follow strict guidelines around environmental protection. This means that they recycle to the highest standards possible, minimising the impact on the environment.

What is R2v3?

R2v3 is the latest version of the R2 standard. It includes new and updated criteria in the following three areas and will take the place of R2:2013 which will expire in June 2023:

• Increased emphasis on reuse and protection of data: With strengthened data security controls and enhanced controls for test, repair, and reuse operations to ensure the quality and effectiveness of the operations.
• Strengthened requirements in key areas: Based on experience and lessons learned, especially in the areas of data protection, managing the flow of material through downstream vendors, and environmental health and safety requirements. These changes are intended to reduce risk and negative outcomes while still allowing for innovation in process and methods to achieve consistent results.
• Clarified requirements and expectations: Recognising there can be multiple, equally effective ways to achieve the same result, R2v3 continues to be focused on outcomes. However, R2v3 does add prescription in some areas to improve understanding and consistency of the expected outcomes.

Benefits of R2 recycling

There are many benefits to using R certified recycling, including:

• Ensuring your data is destroyed securely
• Getting the best return on investment for your old electronics
• Supporting responsible environmental practices
• Supporting the move towards a circular economy

R2 certified recycling is the best way to make sure that your old electronics are recycled responsibly and your data is destroyed securely. Use the SERI website to find a list of certified recyclers in your area.

FAQs about R2 recycling