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As this will be the last edition of eScrap Beat in 2019, I would like to start by wishing all of you the very best as we head into the holiday season and New Year.

Legislative Outlook

I know it may be hard to believe, but there are more than just impeachment hearings going on in Congress. There are currently two bills that have been introduced, one in the House and one in the Senate, that would ban the export of used electronics. The publicized rationale behind both bills is based on counterfeit electronic components and their impact on national security. The stated reasoning for the legislation to ban used electronics from export is to prevent counterfeit parts from showing up in the military and civilian supply chain. While the proposal is well intended, implementation of the ban would not achieve the desired results and would ultimately impose undue financial and operational burdens on legitimate certified recycling facilities. We are opposed to both bills and will continue to monitor their progress and keep our members informed. For more information please contact ReMA Chief Lobbyist Billy Johnson directly.

Upcoming Meetings and Events

We have a full slate of meetings coming up next year. Our first Division meeting of the New Year will take place at CES in Las Vegas in January. Members attending the meeting will have an opportunity to walk the tradeshow floor and see the latest in technology innovations coming our way and will be able to attend a closed-door meeting between ReMA members, OEM’s, and the EPA to discuss issues facing the industry. If you are interested in attending, please contact me or Billy Johnson. We will also be having a Division meeting in Nashville during the ReMA Winter Board meeting February 18 through 21. Online registration is currently open. The ReMA National Convention is back in Las Vegas this year in April. This is an election year for the national board, and I urge all of you to attend. I am excited to announce for the first time there will be an Electronics Roundtable in Chicago in September. The meeting will run in conjunction with the annual Commodities Roundtable that is held every year. The Division leadership has been working on this since August and will be sending out details in the near future.

Bi-Monthly Division Meetings

In addition to the regular ReMA Board Meetings each quarter, the Electronics Division meets every two weeks to bring new issues to the group, work on existing issues such as standards, regulations or legislation, and discuss emerging industry trends such as data security and destruction, plastics, reuse and refurbishment challenges, etc. We achieve a great deal during these calls including addressing important issues as well as planning for industry events such as E-Scrap, the Consumer Electronics Show, and the ReMA National Convention workshops and Spotlights. These calls have grown significantly in the number of attendees and are a great way to get involved and stay ahead of industry trends. They are also a great way for you to introduce new issues and ideas to the group. I would strongly urge you to call in and give it a try. Please contact Bill Johnson to get signed up for these calls.

Industry Issues

Lithium batteries, plastics, solar panel recycling, certification standards changing, market volatility, staffing shortages, and logistics. These are just some of the issue’s electronics recyclers are dealing with and are common discussion topics on our bi-monthly calls. Numerous committees and working groups within ReMA are working on these issues and if you want to be kept abreast of what is going on, I would encourage you to join in on the conference calls that the Electronics Division holds. If you would like to join in on a call, please contact Billy Johnson.

Leadership Changes

As I mentioned earlier, 2020 is an election year for the ReMA National Board and with that I will be stepping down as the chair of the Electronics Division. Craig Boswell of Hobi International will be moving into the chair position and I look forward to his leadership over the next two years.

I wish all of you the very best for you and your families over the holiday season. Please feel free to contact Billy Johnson or myself if there are any concerns or issues your company is facing. ReMA is here to support you.

Sincerely,

George Hinkle, ARCOA
Electronics Division Chair