Electronics are developing at a rate more rapid than ever leading to an exponential growth of e-waste. Even with increased regulations, toxic electronic waste is landing in domestic landfills and developing nations, leading to harmful atmospheric and water pollution. With the rise in the electronic recycling industry, companies that manufacture or use electronics have the opportunity to turn what was once a glaring problem of disposal into a winning social and financial return. ABI Research predicts the worldwide electronics recycling market will grow from $5.7B in 2009 to $15B in 2015. What different options are available for companies dealing with large quantities of e-waste? How do recyclers process the materials responsibly? How are federal and state regulations and watchdog groups contributing to the issue of e-waste and e-cycling? In this Forum, we will hear from experts on the multiple facets of handling electronic waste for corporate customers, turning a toxic industry into a profitable one.

09:00am:    Networking Breakfast

09:30am:    Panel Discussion Begins

1.    Handling E-Waste and Legacy Equipment: Options and Payback

• What are the benefits and drawbacks of the various options for an enterprise to handle their e-waste? What payback is offered for each?
  -  Store working equipment with the possibility of being able to use it in the future
  -  Resell working equipment
  -  Utilize Take-Back programs
  -  Employ a general recycler
  -  Employ an electronics recycler
• How important is it to factor in fluctuating commodity prices (aluminum, gold, steel) when choosing a method for handling e-waste?

2.    Responsible Recycling: Watching Your Back

• Are businesses ultimately responsible for the responsible handling of their e-waste, even after they transfer it to a recycler? Therefore, is the onus on a company to ensure their recycler is keeping e-waste out of landfills and overseas shipping containers? Or, does responsibility lie solely with the recycler?
• What are the various options a recycler employs to handle the materials (plastics, metals, glass) found in electronics? Can all processes be done domestically?
• Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) have been particularly troublesome to recycle responsibly. How are they being processed currently? Are there other products posing equal or greater concerns?
• Are recyclers required to or will they willingly provide a detailed audit trail ensuring “cradle-to-grave“ compliance?
• Data security is a lesser-known issue in e-cycling. How are recyclers ensuring infallible data erasure and data destruction?

3.    Federal/State Regulations and Watchdog Groups

• What are the current federal and state regulations in place for handling e-waste? Are they comprehensive enough to govern the industry?
• Are there any upcoming regulations or programs that will have a significant impact on the handling of e-waste?
• Are prominent watchdog groups such as the Basel Action Network with their e-Stewards recycling certicification strengthening the standards of the industry or only adding redundant paperwork and auditing?

11:00am:    Audience Q&A

11:30am:    Networking

11:30am:    End of Meeting

Speakers:

Alcoa, Randall Scheps, Director, Consumer Electronics
Associated Tele-Networking, Inc. (ATNI), Creighton Charles Bildstein, Co-Founder and Co-Owner
Best Buy, Chris Boik, Director, Recycling & Integration
Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), John Shegerian, Chairman and CEO
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, Sheila Davis, Executive Director

Moderator:

Greentech Media, Michael Kanellos, Editor in Chief

Download the Agenda

Meet the Panel

Location and Directions:

Garden Court Hotel @ 520 Cowper St. in Palo Alto, CA

Driving: From 101 (North or South): Exit University Avenue, go west. Make a left onto Cowper Street. Hotel is on the right-hand side on the first block.
From 280 (North or South): Exit Sand Hill Road, head east. Turn right onto Arboretum Road. Make a left onto Palm, which turns into University Avenue. Turn right onto Cowper Street. Hotel is on the right side on the first block.

Public Transit:Take Caltrain to the Palo Alto stop. Upon leaving the train station follow University Avenue 0.4 miles (6 blocks) to Cowper St. and turn right. The Garden Court is half of a block down on the right hand side.

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