Author: ironcore

According to a January, 2019 report from Davos, the world now produces 44.7 million tons of electronic waste every year. That’s 125,000 Boeing 747 jumbo jets, or about 4,500 Eiffel towers. No matter how you measure it, that’s a lot of waste. Worse yet, the rate of e-waste production worldwide continues to rise, meaning this problem won’t go away soon.

If you’re trying to run a responsible business, this can cause you some problems, not least of which is the fact that you need to upgrade your equipment every few years, and the old stuff needs to be disposed of. Here’s everything you need to know about e-waste.

The Dangers of E-Waste

E-waste comes in many forms, including televisions, monitors, computers, printers, peripherals, audio and stereo equipment, DVD players, video cameras, telephones, fax machines, photocopiers, cell phones, routers and other wireless devices, and video game consoles. Basically, anything with a silicon circuit board can be considered electronic waste.

Our electronics contain a variety of heavy metals and other contaminants, like lead, mercury, cadmium, and barium. When electronics are improperly disposed, for example, if they’re crushed in a garbage truck and dumped in a landfill, these contaminants won’t be properly contained, and can leach into the environment.

When this happens, the whole environment and community suffers. Animals can die or be born with birth defects. Plants and crops can be killed off. Groundwater can become contaminated. Mercury and cadmium can kill people in all kinds of nasty ways, or cause them to have kids with birth defects.

Not only is improper e-waste disposal unethical, it’s also illegal. If your business improperly disposes e-waste, even by accident, you can be fined by the state or federal government. Federal fines can be as high as $25,000 per violation.

That means that if you have an intern clear out an old supply closet and they throw 20 Windows 95-era laptops in the trash, your business could end up getting fined $500,000. That’s an expensive mistake!

How Recycling Works

Besides the contaminants, there are valuable metals in household and office electronics. Gold, silver and copper can all be worth salvaging. How this is done depends on the recycling service.

Some domestic services specialize in recycling e-waste. Most of them work for charity, or are startups trying to find a more efficient way of extracting precious metals. Ironically, it currently costs about as much to extract gold and silver from circuit boards in the US as the metal itself is worth, so accepting free electronics isn’t a profitable business model – at best, it’s a break-even proposition.

Other, less reputable services are based in developing countries, usually in Africa. Because labor costs and the cost of living are so low in these countries, companies can recycle electronics for a tidy profit. Unfortunately, these businesses have no safety standards, and some of them employ children to burn circuit boards in open pits, exposing them to all kinds of toxic fumes.

What About Donation?

Much like with recycling, donating your electronics is another viable solution for getting rid of your old electronics. Some services, like charities and homeless shelters, need machines for basic tasks and are happy to take whatever you give. If you’re personally familiar with someone from the organization you’re donating to, this can be a great way to cheaply get rid of your old electronics.

On the other hand, some “charities” are just the same third-world, fly-by-night recycling operations we’ve already talked about. Steer clear of these. You’re not helping anybody by donating to them, and you may be hurting them.

Even if you’re donating to a reliable organization, you’ll want to make sure your devices are thoroughly scrubbed of all your customer data before you hand it over.

Professional Services That Work

Reputable e-waste disposal services like Securis are the best option when it comes to disposing of e-waste.

We help you stay compliant and ensure your customer’s data remains protected throughout the recycling process. You also won’t have to worry about toxins and heavy metals from your electronics ending up in the environment.

If you would like to learn more about our services, please contact us today.

There can be no doubt that the technological advancements of the digital age have produced a myriad of benefits.

Access to information has never been more universal and no preceding generation ever had the ability to share with others and impact their world as we do today. You could say that this is indeed the best of times.

What is also true, however, is that there is a dark side to our wholehearted embrace of the digital age. Ironically, that drawback stems from the very gadgets we use.

Specifically, it arises out of how we handle discarded electrical and electronic devices or e-waste. There is a growing concern as to the negative effects e-waste has on the environment. It is an issue that must be tackled by individuals as well as by large and small corporations.

Dell is one of the companies leading the way in lowering the environmental impact of e-waste.

Dell’s E-waste Policy

With the assertion that “Technology drives what’s good,” the company has developed and implemented the Dell 2020 Legacy of Good Plan. The initiative began in 2013 and Dell has provided annual updates on its progress in achieving the stated goals.

One amazing revelation from the 2018 update is that Dell has already been able to meet its goal of recycling 2 billion pounds of e-waste by 2020 – that’s 2 years in advance. This was achieved through Dell’s industry-leading TakeBack initiative.

What is Dell doing with all of this e-waste which many of us simply discard without a second thought? Here is a quick look:

Recovering gold

Gold is one of the precious metals used in today’s electronics. Bust what most people don’t know is that Americans alone throw away in excess of $60 million worth of gold (and silver) each year within their discarded phones.

Dell has revealed that it uses roughly 7,000 pounds of gold annually in its manufacturing processes although only small amounts go into each device. It is currently on a mission to recover gold from e-waste and reuse it in new products.

As the company points out in a January 2018 blog post, its recycled gold is also making its way into jewelry. Dell and actress Nikki Reed have partnered to create a line of jewelry which uses gold from recycled e-waste.

Recycling carbon fiber

Dell has also recently partnered with SABIC, a chemicals manufacturing company, to recycle carbon fiber from e-waste. That carbon fiber, estimated at around 1 million pounds, is being reused in new computers the company produces. In fact, all the carbon fiber in some Dell items is recycled from e-waste.

Dell isn’t the only company, however, making use of recycled carbon fiber. There has been growing demand for recycled carbon fiber in the automobile and aircraft manufacturing sectors as well.

Reducing the impact of plastics

Over 90 products manufactured by Dell now boast the inclusion of closed-loop recycled plastics. That means Dell is focused on ensuring the plastics it uses are all fully recyclable.

It is also going a step further by reusing some of that same plastic, once it becomes e-waste, in its new products. The company also makes use of marine plastics in its effort to do as much as it can to protect the environment.

Every Little Bit Counts

According to STEP (Solving the E-Waste Problem), there were approximately 75 million tons of e-waste produced in 2015, which is triple the figure reported for 2010. It is true that even Dell’s mammoth achievement of 2 billion pounds of recycled e-waste pales in comparison to the staggering amount of e-waste produced. It is, nevertheless, a start.

Thankfully, Dell is not the only company making a dedicated effort to reduce, reuse and recycle e-waste. Its competitor Apple, for instance, is also on a mission to make full use of recycled metals in its new products. The company is making strides in reusing plastics and other materials from its manufacturing processes and e-waste.

Large technology companies like Dell are doing their part to ensure the figure begins trending downward. Your company can contribute to this environmentally-friendly initiative by contacting an IT recycling partner like Securis to find recycling solutions that best suit you. Contact us today to see how we can help.

Along with the inexorable march of technology, and the creation and consumption of new electronic devices, the world is dealing with the ever-growing problem of e-waste. While some countries are making efforts to properly recycle or reuse electronic equipment and devices, other countries are still struggling with finding a means, and in the meantime are simply storing e-waste in landfills or warehouses. It’s a growing problem that will require a continual effort if we are going to ever get it under control.

The world of e-waste has been growing. China recently claimed the top spot in producing the most e-waste, with the USA in close second.

But in the country of Rwanda, change is happening in the fight to tackle e-waste. While the country’s e-waste production has continued to grow, generating around 10,000 tons a year, a company there is working to make sure it’s ready to take it all on. Introducing EnviroServe Rwanda, the country’s only e-waste recycling plant operator, and it only has one e-waste recycling plant to operate. For now.

E-Waste Recycling: A Recipe for Economic Growth?

Currently, the EnviroServe Rwanda recycling plant has been able to collect 700 tons of e-waste. But plans are already in place to expand operations and open a second facility. This is part of an effort to increase e-waste responsibility as well as nurturing a circulating economy. One way that the company is trying to grow their efforts is by opening more collection centers for e-waste. Currently, they only have three. But their plan is to have at least 30 across the country, making widespread e-waste management more manageable.

The other way this effort for growth works is by how EnviroServe Rwanda operates by handling e-waste in several ways: recycling, reusing, and repurposing.

Whatever can be refurbished, is renovated and repurposed. Computers are repaired and sold to schools. Other office equipment is also repaired and sold to schools. This provides equipment for education facilities, while also providing electronics with a second life, reducing the new for more and reducing the potential for new e-waste. E-waste that can be recycled is dismantled and recycled to remove both the hazardous waste associated with e-waste and to recover valuable components and materials. Some materials that they can recover from e-waste are those such as aluminum, copper, plastic, and steel.

Such efforts can turn the burden of e-waste into an economic opportunity, and one that promises growth. Profit can be made by recovering valuable materials and selling them back to appropriate industries. Steel can be sold to be a steel company to then be repurposed as building materials. Plastics can be sold to manufacturers to produce more textiles and other products. Aluminum can be sold to companies that manufacture cans or even parts for air transportation. And in the end, everyone profits from this effort to reduce e-waste.

Replicating these efforts in other nations can boost their economies as well, while reducing health risks for their people and reducing damage to the environment by dumping e-waste in landfills.

Challenges to the E-Waste Economy

While more countries are making efforts to control e-waste, and many are recognizing the economic opportunities to be found in e-waste management, there are still challenges that continue to stand in the way. For some countries, it is harder than others, but the challenges still stand.

In 2017, the 16th International Electronics Recycling Congress (IERC 2017) in Salzburg, Austria, came together to address the e-waste situation and the recycling efforts. It was recognized that there were still challenges that stood in the way of e-waste management becoming a true economically-promising industry.

Mainly, the problem rested with the continual progression of technology. As technology progress and the miniaturization of devices continues, devices and their materials are decreasing in value. This, in turn, places stress on the financial viability of the costs to recycle e-waste versus the profit gained from selling recovered materials and refurbished equipment. It is predicted to be a continual battle. Recycling facilities and companies will have to make strong efforts to increase the economical and operational efficiency of their facilities and recycling methods in order to keep up with the ever-reducing costs and value of equipment and materials.

Another challenge to the e-waste management effort is how to handle the transportation of e-waste across borders with other countries. There are a lot of factors that will determine whether it’s economical to transport e-waste to other countries, and what can be done to move things “towards promoting the circular economy”.

Takeaway

While nations are slowly making the right decision to establish regulations and laws for managing e-waste properly, the best thing to do about getting things moving along faster is by taking action. You can search for local organizations that properly dispose of e-waste.

In the USA, not all states have laws or regulations regarding e-waste yet, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any organizations or centers that might support the proper disposal and recycling of e-waste.  The problem of e-waste is not going to shrink any time soon. It’s likely to keep growing for quite some time before we finally rein it in.

If you need help with making sure that your electronics recycling is kept in compliance with e-waste regulations and all relevant laws, don’t hesitate to contact us. Securis has been providing excellence since 2003 and can help make sure you remain compliant. We also have lots of great information regarding IT asset disposal solutions.

According to the Alameda County District Attorney Office, between the years of 2012 and 2016, the corporate retail giant Target was guilty of illegally dumping 2,038 items of hazardous e-waste that should’ve been properly recycled. By breaking California’s e-waste recycling laws, the state of California charged Target with a hefty fine of $7.4 million dollars.

The state of California takes its environmental laws quite seriously, and it doesn’t take lightly anyone that tries to break them, whether it’s a single, regular person, or a huge corporate entity. This isn’t the first time that Target has been slammed by e-waste fines, however. In 2011, Target was fined $22.5 million dollars because they had broken the rule. Let this be a lesson before any of you decide to throw those batteries away with your regular trash: don’t do it.

California’s Electronic Waste Recycling Act

California’s Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003 was created to establish regulations and infrastructure for how the state would deal with recycling e-waste. E-waste includes items such as televisions, computers, laptops, LCD screens, and any devices that contain fluorescent cathode ray tubes. Circuit boards and batteries are also included in the list. All of these e-waste products contain potentially dangerous materials that can bring harm to the environment and human beings, and so California has been making an effort to clamp down on the improper disposal of such devices.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

According to the California Government’s website, as part of their CalRecycle page, they require business and other public entities to recycle as much of their generated waste as is possible. There is also a mandatory law for commercial organic waste to be diverted from landfills and sent to composting and anaerobic digestion facilities to create biofuel and fertilizer for soil. If they can, California aims to reduce organic waste by 50 percent by the year 2020. To beat their own score, California then plans to hits 75 percent by 2025.

What’s more, a lot of these electronic parts can be repurposed and reused. This is why California created the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003, and they made it illegal to dispose of any e-waste with regular garbage. If you have any electronics that can be sold or donated, it is encouraged so long as the equipment or device is still functional. Otherwise, e-waste must be properly disposed of.

How Should E-Waste Be Disposed Of?

E-waste should be properly disposed of by finding organizations that recover unwanted electronics. This can be done by going to the California Government’s CalRecycle page and searching for organizations near you. They can provide you the organization’s location, services, hours, and any possible charges that might be included. Other states have their own e-waste laws, but not all do. In 2017, it was said that only 25 states and Washington D.C. had electronic recycling laws.

What Does the EPA Have to Say About E-Waste?

According to the EPA’s own site, the EPA supports the United States Government’s National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship (NSES). This is a governmental plan to provide recommendations on how federal government, businesses, and all citizens should move towards achieving the goals of the Executive Order 13693, also known as the “Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next Decade”.

The NSES draws out the following goals for reaching a point of sustainability and proper management of used electronics, as described on their website: “Build incentives for design of environmentally preferable electronics and enhance science, research, and technology development in the United States”, “ensure that the federal government leads by example”, “increase safe and effective management and handling of used electronics in the United States”, “reduce harm from U.S. exports of electronics waste (e-waste) and improve the handling of used electronics in developing countries.”

Takeaway

E-waste is neither good for the environment or for your own health. It’s still not too late. With at least half of the United States now implementing e-waste recycling measures, progress has been made in bringing e-waste, as well as other waste, under control.

It’s a long road, and for the states that don’t have e-waste laws or other proper waste regulations, they have an even longer road. But even if you don’t live in California, or in a state with e-waste and other waste regulations, learning more about what you can do to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle is the first step to being able to do something, so you can make a change for your community.

Looking for IT Asset Disposal Solutions? Want to learn more about your e-waste compliance regulations are in your state? Don’t hesitate to contact us! Since we started in 2003, we have been providing excellence in IT Asset Disposal. Whether it’s your electronics that need proper e-recycling or hard drives with sensitive information that need proper destruction, Securis can help!

Data breaches continue to increase in scope and sophistication each year. That’s because cybercriminals stop at nothing to steal private information and evade detection.

While businesses of all sizes are susceptible to malicious programs, small and medium-sized companies remain at higher risk of such threats. Hiscox reports that almost 50% of small businesses in the US have dealt with a cyber attack in the past year.

To prepare for a new year of cyber threats, you should know what to expect on the cybersecurity front. Let’s take a close look at 8 cybersecurity predictions for 2019.

1. Hackers Favoring Cryptomining Over Ransomware

Cryptomining might be the reason we’re seeing a decline in ransomware. Kaspersky reports that there has been a 44.5% increase in cryptomining attacks in the past year, while ransomware encounters have plummeted by nearly 30%.

However, that doesn’t mean you’ve seen the last of ransomware groups. The number of random attacks might have gone down, but targeted attacks may continue to wreak havoc in the future.

Take SamSam for example — a group cybercriminals that has a history of targeting organizations such as municipal and healthcare organizations.

In January 2018, Talos Intelligence published an article describing a new technique used by SamSam to execute their payload. This new variant, containing string obfuscation and improved the anti-analysis techniques, makes threat detection and analysis more difficult.

In response to ransomware threats such as SamSam, Talos recommends businesses consider several best practices to protect themselves.

2. An Increase in Nation-State Cyber attacks on Citizens

State-sponsored cyber attacks on journalists like Jamal Khashoggi are also likely to happen more frequently in the coming year, especially when like-minded governments continue to turn a blind eye on these attacks.  

Israeli publication Haaretz asserts that the Saudi government utilized premium Israeli spyware to monitor Khashoggi’s movements in Canada.

They’ve also reported that the Israeli government has been supplying many nations with technologies for spying on their citizens.

3. A Rise in Data Protection Policies

When the European Union launched the General Data Protection Regulation this year, the goal was to help companies to keep a tight lid on consumers’ private information.

Those who’ve violated the GDPR have yet to receive punishment, but the penalties are definitely coming.

As consumers demand more control over their private information, companies will be held accountable for their actions or their inaction.

Starting next year, you can also expect to see an increase in nationwide enforcement of privacy laws similar to GDPR.  

4. Multi-Factor Authentication as the Standard for Online Transactions

Online services will implement multi-factor authentication methods to make them less susceptible to phishing attacks and other cyber threats.

Consumers won’t be happy about it. Until more standardized processes are created, it will be confusing and frustrating.

Tech giants will attempt to make the multi-factor authentication process a bit easier and more convenient.

5. Advanced Threat Protection in Microsoft’s Mainstream Products

In an effort to build a security-focused brand image, Microsoft plans to implement Advanced Threat Protection standards across all their mainstream products in 2019.

This service enables anyone with an E5 license to monitor and review what attackers have done to their system.

6. More Targeted Spear Phishing Attacks

Spear phishing attacks are only going to get worse, and homeowners will make easy targets. Cybercriminals can hack into a mortgage lender’s computer and steal crucial information about their clients.

Using the agent’s email address, they can trick homeowners into wiring payments to their account.

7. Cyberwarfare Rules Between Nations

Some nations will start to establish digital boundaries and rules for cyberwarfare. However, countries such as Russia, China, and North Korea will continue to be a safe haven for cybercriminals.

They will have all the resources they need to develop more resilient malware. Without significant changes in global geopolitics, this scenario will continue.   

8. Master’s Degrees in Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity training won’t be enough to advance a security professional’s career in 2019. More and more companies are starting to demand that Chief Security Officers have a master’s degree in cybersecurity.

And anyone who wishes to acquire the necessary skills can take some classes in some of the best universities in the country.

Cybersecurity predictions are complicated. Numbers can show us how the landscape might evolve in the coming year, but only to a certain extent. No one might know what the future holds, but you can always set plans for unexpected disasters.  

If you would help with your cybersecurity needs, contact us today.

Digitization has brought tremendous benefits to multiple industries, including trade, banking, and healthcare, but it has also made organizations more vulnerable to cyber threats. For that reason, data security has become one of the top priorities of companies in the digital era. No industry is immune to cyber threats. Over the years, the world has seen a dramatic increase in online attacks. Not only are these threats increasing in number, but they are also getting more sophisticated.

With more companies embracing digital technologies and the Cloud, it’s now more critical than ever to have systems and processes in place to protect your data. But the question is, how artificial intelligence improves data security.

Many business leaders and experts believe that artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) are the answer.

How Artificial Intelligence Improves Data Security

At the 2018 Oracle OpenWorld, an annual conference on innovative cloud technology, experts acknowledged AI’s potential to reshape the world of business. CEO of Oracle Mark Hurd was one of them. He predicted that cybersecurity and AI are going to change business models by 2025.

Oracle’s founder Larry Ellison also stated that AI will play an important role in helping businesses to identify, assess, and even solve online threats. He confirmed that Oracle is working on AI, and will be leveraging it to make business data more secure.

Ellison also commented on how Oracle’s next-generation cloud will make data a valuable corporate asset. According to him, developers have become more productive because of the autonomous cloud, which allows for greater reliability and shorter development times.

At the conference, Oracle also announced that they are hosting their cloud services from nine new locations. They expect these data centers to be up and running by next year.

The Global State of Information Security

AT&T CEO Thaddeus Arroyo also provided valuable insights at the OpenWorld conference. He recommends that businesses should leverage the Cloud and AI to engage with their consumers. This will not only enable better customer experiences but will also increase data security.

By using AI and machine learning capabilities, businesses will have the ability to protect their systems and networks from organized cyber-attack groups and also predict attacks before they happen in the first place.

As business operations become increasingly digitized, companies must embrace data security best practices or risk losing their valuable data — and customers.

Although AI-driven apps and the Cloud will help improve productivity and enhance customer experience, organizations and their data may still remain vulnerable to online attacks due to growing political imbalances.

According to the President of Eurasia Group, Ian Bremmer, the global economy is gradually growing at 4%, but the geopolitical situation isn’t looking as great. For starters, the US and China can’t agree regarding economics and politics.

If a business enters China, for example, the Chinese government handles all the decisions related to its strategy within the country. As an economic superpower, they also influence other governments across the globe to follow in their footsteps.

Research and advisory company Gartner states that global information security is bound to go over $124 billion in 2019. As for worldwide spending on data security applications and services, it’s expected to exceed $114 billion in 2018. That’s a 12.4% increase from the previous year.

Remember that the cost of security breaches is increasing significantly as well.

Despite their different political situations, all governments and businesses need to respond to the growing risk of cyberattacks. And intelligent systems are the breakthrough idea we need in data security. It should help us secure IT environments against ever-evolving threats.

Takeaway on How Artificial Intelligence Improves Data Security

Business leaders like you should be aware of the new risks associated with emerging technologies. These threats could disrupt your operations and compromise your private information.

You should also know that while the security industry is facing many cyber threats, there’s also a shortage of skilled workers to help you protect your company from these attacks.

But with AI and machine learning automating the detection and response against cyber threats, companies such as yours can lessen the burden on employees and handle these attacks more efficiently.

To learn more about how Securis can help protect your data, please contact us today.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s Thanksgiving week here in the US, and we thought we’d share a few things we’re thankful for during this busy time. Too often, we’re caught up in the day-to-day, Thanksgiving Day meal planning, and may just be distracted by our excitement for an afternoon pumpkin spice latte. We believe that during the busiest of times, it’s more important than ever to reflect on life’s blessings and reflect on the ways we’ve given back to the community.

First, we’re very thankful for you – our customers and readers, and we wish you the happiest of Thanksgiving holidays. May your day be filled with laughter, family, warmth, and thankfulness (and pumpkin-flavored everything, if you’re into that).

We’re thankful to be able to give back in ways that truly affect our local and global communities. We’re blessed to be able to help on a local level by expanding our program to help train high school students with disabilities. Read the article about training for students with disabilities. We’re also a proud participant in an annual walk to raise funding toward a cure for type 1 diabetes, an issue near to one of our team members.
On a global level, Securis sponsors a young woman in Moldova. Victoria, a 16-year-old who loves the color yellow, is at risk. In Moldova, the government institutional care of abandoned and orphaned children only lasts until they turn 16 years old. At that time, without support, they’d be on their own with nowhere to stay and no family. Learn more about Victoria and how you can get involved with the organization in this article on giving back

We’re thankful for laughter, delicious stuffing, family, and yummy recipes like this alternative to turkey for a balsamic prime rib with pumpkin gnocchi.

Happy Thanksgiving! We wish you blessings, health, and a full belly during this holiday and all year long.

 

Securis is pleased to announce a partnership that allows us to expand job training for High School Students with disabilities as written in Washington DC Patch.

We’ve expanded our partnership with ServiceSource Inc. to increase employment and training services for area high school students with disabilities.

Securis provides secure data disposal services for private and public sector companies and government entities, while ServiceSource is a leading nonprofit for individuals with disabilities. ServiceSource has been providing job training for the disabled in Northern Virginia for over 40 years, and Securis has been providing real-life work experience to disabled students at Chantilly High School.

Full article on Securis Partners to Expand Training for Students with Disabilities

Metal recycling has become an increasingly important factor in environmental as well as economic outcomes. After all, metal is a finite resource. Society lessens the demand for natural resources through recycling. In doing so, we are able to meet our goals of cost reduction. We can effectively manage limited resources, and reduce landfill utilization. In the process of conserving natural resources, we also save the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption.

North American countries have gained prominence in the global recycled metal market in the last few years due to the region’s expanding electrical and electronics sector. With an increasing demand for consumer electronics, the region’s scrap metal industry is expected to see massive growth in the coming years. On the other hand, it may not be as fast as the growth in developing countries.

Let’s take a look at the factors driving the growth of the global reprocessed metal market.

The Rise of the Global Recycled Metal Market: North America

The rise of the North American recycled metal industry can be attributed to the increasing number of E&E companies that have been working proactively to help reduce the problem of e-waste.

Just recently, an aluminum recycling company called Novelis acquired Aleris, one of the region’s leading manufacturer of recycled aluminum products. You might know them for supplying products to aerospace, defense, automotive, construction and packaging industries. Back in 2016, they used up about 734,000 metric tons of recycled aluminum to create their products.

For Novelis, the acquisition is expected to be beneficial. They get to expand their business and obtain Aleris’s large consumer base.

As consumers become more conscious of their impact on the environment, you can anticipate an increase in the demand for metal recycling. In turn, more activities that lead to loss of biodiversity such as mining will be put in a negative light. Due to the growing concern for the environment, regional governments and companies will adopt the necessary practices for recycling metals. For instance, they could set up scrap collection centers where you can hand over gadgets and equipment you no longer use.

When more private companies and regulatory boards become aware of the benefits of recycling metals, they get to boost the commercialization scale of this business space. In turn, you may observe the widespread consumption of recycled metal products across various industry verticals such as food and beverage, packaging, aerospace, and construction. Towards the end of 2024, you should see this market amass a revenue of $125 billion.

The Rise of the Global Recycled Metal Market: Developing Countries

As for developing countries especially in Latin America, the growth of their metal recycling market is predicted to grow faster than North American countries. Favorable conditions in Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Valenzuela in terms of attracting capital investment projects will drive this massive growth.

Rapid industrialization and urbanization are also considered important factors in the growth of the metal recycling market. In countries such as China, India, and Brazil, the rising income and improved spending capacity of consumers are making a significant impact on the market’s growth. Moreover, the increased demand for metal recycling across various industries such as automotive, medical and healthcare contribute to this robust development.

In the Asia Pacific and the Middle Eastern regions, strong urbanization and industrialization will expand their construction industries. As a result, it will influence the demand for reprocessed metal in subsequent years.

Much like in North American countries, the growth of the metal recycling market in developing countries will also be driven by private and public sectors.  Their adoption and encouragement of sustainable practices will reinforce the need for metal recycling. On the other hand, the government’s restriction on free and fair trade of scrap metals will pose a threat to the market’s growth.  The lack of organized waste collection practices is also likely to hamper the growth of this market.

Takeaway

As the metal recycling industry continues to find widespread applications for products in end-user industries, you should witness a gradual increase in demand for these products. This solid demand is going to have a significant influence on the overall reprocessed metal market industry size in the next few years. Moreover, increased regulations and policies for the management and disposal of e-waste will impact the market in the years to come.

To learn more about how metal recycling can benefit you, please contact us today.