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Washington, D.C. –The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) Inc., today applauded AERC Recycling Solutions on earning the prestigious industry designation R2/RIOS Certified Electronics Recycler® for all its Electronics Processing Com-Cycle facilities. Facilities earning the most recent certifications are located in Hayward, CA, Houston, TX, Ashland, VA, and Allentown, PA. AERC’s Electronics Processing Com-Cycle facility in West Melbourne, FL, was the first of its facilities to be certified to the prestigious standard last year. 

Tomorrow, November 15, America Recycles Day, officials from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the General Services Administration are scheduled to recognize AERC/Com-Cycle for becoming the nation’s newest Certified Responsible Recycler (R2) for electronics. With five electronics processing facilities across the country, AERC/Com-Cycle is one of the nation's largest single electronics recyclers. The Allentown facility processes more than 600,000 pounds of electronics monthly and is a zero-landfill facility.  

The new certifications follow an independent study, conducted by the well-respected International Data Corporation (IDC), released earlier this month that reported the rapidly growing U.S. electronics recycling employs some 30,000 in America and generated $5.2 billion in revenue in 2010. Importantly, the study also shed light on the increasing demand for downstream accountability, data security and legal compliance domestically and abroad. An increase in third-party audited, comprehensive, premium recycling standards like R2/RIOS™ are expected to increase and will help recyclers’ accountability, health and safety and bottom line.

R2/RIOS™ is the only certification standard tailored specifically for recyclers and focused on promoting quality products, environmental protection, and the health and safety of workers both in the United States and abroad.

“AERC Com-Cycle Facilities are clearly committed to the highest standards of quality, health and safety and protection of the environment as demonstrated by their certification to R2/RIOS," said ReMA President Robin Wiener. "The U.S. electronics recycling industry is growing rapidly, creating jobs in the United States and recovering valuable resources while also keeping electronics out of landfills. AERC and its facilities are excellent examples of how electronics recycling can be done safely and responsibly. ”  

“AERC was distinguished as one of the first electronics recycling companies to become a Certified Electronics Recycler® when the West Melbourne, Florida, facility attained R2/RIOS™ certification back in July 2010. By having attained this Certified Electronics Recycler® designation at all of its Electronics Processing Com-Cycle facilities, AERC further demonstrates its competitiveness in the marketplace and commitment to continuous improvement within the organization,” said AERC Recycling Solutions spokesperson Lindsay L. Kissel.

R2/RIOS™, one of the most affordable and widely used standards, is derived from a combination of two of the industry’s most stringent sets of guidelines: R2, Responsible Recycling Practices, and RIOS™, the Recycling Industry Operating Standard™.  Certification to the two standards for responsible electronics reuse and recycling is recognized in the market as a company that is a Certified Electronics Recycler®. 

R2 was the first recycling standard specifically targeting electronics recycling and was developed and supported by stakeholders including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), major computer OEMs such as Lenovo and Dell, the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), state and local governments and ISRI. R2 includes general principles and specific practices for recyclers disassembling or reclaiming used electronics equipment; its strict “Reuse, Recovery, Dispose” hierarchy of methods ensures that electronic scrap is properly handled.