Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Electronics Challenge
Manufacturers and retailers offer several options to donate or recycle electronics. Search below to find programs developed by Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Electronics Challenge participants. If you are an original equipment manufacturer or retailer, learn how to join the SMM Electronics Challenge. Participation in the SMM Electronics Challenge is voluntary. EPA does not endorse any of the participants or their products and services.(8)
On September 22, 2012, EPA launched the SMM Electronics Challenge. The Challenge encourages electronics manufacturers, brand owners and retailers to strive to send 100 percent of the used electronics they collect from the public, businesses and within their own organizations to third-party certified electronics refurbishers and recyclers. The Challenge’s goals are to:
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Ensure responsible recycling through the use of third-party certified recyclers.
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Increase transparency and accountability through public posting of electronics collection and recycling data.
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Encourage outstanding performance through awards and recognition.
The SMM Electronics Challenge is open to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), brand owners and retailers. By joining, businesses:
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Demonstrate leadership by using third-party certified recyclers
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Ensure responsible management of used electronics
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Take advantage of EPA’s technical assistance and resources
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Receive recognition for achievements
By striving to send 100 percent of used electronics collected to certified recyclers and refurbishers, Challenge participants are ensuring that the used electronics they collect will be responsibly managed by recyclers that maximize reuse and recycling, minimize exposure to human health and the environment, ensure the safe management of materials by downstream handlers, and require destruction of all data on used electronics.
Electronics Challenge participants are publicly recognized on EPA’s website as a registrant, new participant, or active participant. Awards are offered in two categories - tier and champion. Tier awards are given in recognition of achieving all the requirements under a gold, silver or bronze tier. Champion awards are given in three categories - Product, Non-Product and, new in 2016, Cutting Edge. For the purposes of the Champion awards, a product is an item that is manufactured, developed or refined for sale and is in the marketplace; a non-product is an internal or external plan, strategy or policy for an organization or a service, program or item that is intended for individual sale to a consumer. The Cutting Edge award recognizes participants for their new, game-changing ideas in electronics sustainability.
To join the SMM Electronics Challenge:
1. Determine eligibility. The SMM Electronics Challenge is currently open to OEMs, brand owners and retailers.
2. Determine your commitment tier. OEMs, brand owners and retailers may join the SMM Electronics Challenge in one of its three tiers (bronze, silver, and gold). The levels reflect the need for flexibility and recognize that participant’s business models, organizational sizes and levels of leadership vary. Participants may join at any level that best suits their organization’s experience and abilities–regardless of their baseline.
Bronze: Entry-level status designed for organizations with no existing collection programs or with new programs.
Silver: Mid-level status designed for organizations with modest collection programs.
Gold: High-level designed for organizations with exemplary, well-developed collection programs.
3. Sign up. Review the SMM Electronics Challenge Participant Agreement and contact us for further information.
4. Assess it. Establish a baseline of collected electronics and the percent of those being sent to certified recyclers within six months of registration.
5. Do it. Increase the number of electronics collected by hosting collection events and setting up collection sites. Strive to send 100 percent of your used electronics collected from all collection streams (e.g., consumer, warranty and return, business-to-business and internal equipment) to a recognized third-party certified recycler. Publicly report information on your collection program, including recycling data. Complete the additional bronze, silver, or gold tier requirements.
6. Track it. Track your progress and submit annual data.
7. Post it. Share your commitments and data on your organization’s website.
8. Receive recognition. Receive public recognition on EPA’s website, and have the opportunity to earn awards.(9)
Reporting Requirements for ALL Challenge Participants & Tiers
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Bronze participants send at least 90% and Silver and Gold participants send 95-100% of all used electronics collected to a third-party certified recycler by the end of the baseline year of participation.
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Strive to send 100% of used electronics collected from all collection streams (e.g., consumer, warranty and return, business-to-business and internal equipment) to recyclers or refurbishers certified to a third-party certification program.
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Submit baseline data within six months of registration.
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Submit annual data to EPA via Re-TRAC Connect.
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Post goals and data on the participant’s website using a template provided by EPA.
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Increase the total amount of used electronics collected for reuse and recycling from the previous baseline or annual total. If an increase is not possible, explain why it is not possible.
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Publicly post the current year’s goals for education and outreach. Specifically, elaborate on:
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Efforts to communicate to and educate the public on the safe management of used electronics through the third-party certified recycling; and
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Efforts to provide the public with specific, local collection opportunities that use third-party certified recyclers.
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Provide for policies that favor recycling and reuse of electronic equipment and/or components as opposed to energy recovery, incineration, or land disposal.
Bronze Tier Reporting Requirements
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Total amount collected for reuse and recycling (including consumer, warranty and return, business-to-business and internal equipment, and electronics collected and/or purchased to meet state take-back laws)
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Percentage of total sent to third-party certified recyclers.
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Participants are required to post total weight sent to third-party certified recyclers with the intent to increase collection each year. If an increase is not achieved, explain why.
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List the names and locations of all third-party certified recyclers used (note: participants must report this information to EPA via Re-TRAC Connect, but have the option of reporting this information publically in the SMM Electronics Challenge template).
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Education & Outreach: List and describe public education and outreach activities on the safe management of used electronics and available collection opportunities.
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Describe policies that favor recycling and reuse of electronic equipment and/or components, over energy recovery, incineration, or land disposal.
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Provide the website where Challenge data and commitments are posted.
Silver Tier Basic Reporting Requirements
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Total amount collected for reuse and recycling (including consumer, warranty and return, business-to-business and internal equipment, and electronics collected and/or purchased to meet state take back laws).
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Percentage of total sent to third party certified recyclers.
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Participants are required to post total weight sent to third-party certified recyclers with the intent to increase collection each year. If an increase is not achieved, explain why.
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[Optional] Total amount of used electronics collected and sent for recycling broken out by equipment, cell phones and other mobile devices and accessories.
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Report the total weight of electronics collected in states with take-back laws (including CA, MA, etc) specifically collected to meet state Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws.
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Report the additional weight of used electronics collected for reuse and recycling in states with take-back laws above the amount required by the states.
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Report the total amount of used electronics collected for reuse and recycling in states without take-back laws.
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Report the weight of electronics collected, but not attributable to a specific state (ex: collected by mail-back program, regional agreement, or other method that does not allow tracking).
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Provide an explanation of the methodology used to determine the total amount of used electronics collected for reuse and recycling in states with and states without take-back laws. Provide any other useful information (e.g., did your company sell pounds to other OEMs or brand owners? If so, how much?)
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Mass Balance/Tracking Throughput: Verify that all recycling vendors used by your company are required to fully account for the organization’s used electronics as they enter and leave each facility used [yes/no]. Provide the methodology used for verification.
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Beyond third-party certification standards: Describe company policies or programs for vendors that go beyond third-party certification standards and verify that the standards are followed by each recycler used.
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List the names and locations of all third party certified recyclers used (note: participants must report this information to EPA via Re-TRAC Connect, but have the option of reporting this information publically in the SMM Electronics Challenge template).
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Education and Outreach: List and describe public education and outreach activities on the safe management of used electronics and available collection opportunities.
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Describe policies that favor recycling and reuse of electronic equipment and/or components as opposed to energy recovery, incineration, or land disposal.
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Provide the website where Challenge data and commitments are posted.
Gold Tier Reporting Requirements
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Total amount collected for reuse and recycling (including consumer, warranty and return, business-to-business and internal equipment, and electronics collected and/or purchased to meet state take back laws)
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Percentage of total sent to third party certified recyclers.
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Participants are required to post total weight sent to third-party certified recyclers with the intent to increase collection each year. If an increase is not achieved, explain why.
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[Required] Total amount of used electronics collected and sent for recycling broken out by equipment, cell phones and other mobile devices and accessories.
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Report the total weight of electronics collected in states with take-back laws (including CA, MA, etc) specifically collected to meet state Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws.
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Report the additional weight of used electronics collected for reuse and recycling in states with take-back laws above the amount required by the states.
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Report the total amount of used electronics collected for reuse and recycling in states without take-back laws.
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Report the weight of electronics collected, but not attributable to a specific state (ex: collected by mail-back program, regional agreement, or other method that does not allow tracking).
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Provide an explanation of the methodology used to determine the total amount of used electronics collected for reuse and recycling in states with and states without take back laws. Provide any other useful information (e.g., did your company sell pounds to other OEMs or brand owners? If so, how much?)
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After one year of participation, show an overall increase in the total amount of used electronics collected for reuse and recycling in at least one state without a take-back law. The electronics collected for reuse and recycling must come from real electronics collected in that state rather than “paper” electronics from other states. If participant is unable to show an increase, explain why.
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Mass Balance/Tracking Throughput: Verify that all recycling vendors used by your company are required to fully account for the organization’s used electronics as they enter and leave each facility used [yes/no]. Provide the methodology used for verification.
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Beyond third-party certification standards: Describe company policies or programs for vendors that go beyond third-party certification standards and verify that the standards are followed by each recycler used.
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Due Diligence: Verify that your company conducts due diligence to ensure the certified recycler of first entry into the system, as well as vendors receiving materials after the initial certified recyclers (i.e., downstream vendors), are also certified to an established third-party certification standard. Verification may include either verifying that recycling facilities are certified to an established third-party certification standard, or verifying that your company’s auditors conduct at least semi-annual audits of recycling facilities to ensure safe management practices (Note: If a certifying body conducts an annual audit, only one additional in-person or paper audit is required per year).
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List the names and locations of all third party certified recyclers used (note: participants must report this information to EPA via Re-TRAC Connect, but have the option of reporting this information publically in the SMM Electronics Challenge template).
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Education & Outreach: List and describe public education and outreach activities on the safe management of used electronics and available collection opportunities.
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Describe policies that favor recycling and reuse of electronic equipment and/or components as opposed to energy recovery, incineration, or land disposal.
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Provide the website where Challenge data and commitments are posted.(10)
Definitions:
Accessories: Defined as headphones, speakers, CDs, printers, toner cartridges, USB sticks, keyboards, game system accessories, cables, chargers, and other small, miscellaneous items as defined by the Participant. It further includes any other or new (future) types of accessories to either the equipment or cell phone and other mobile devices equipment. The participant is welcome to provide a separate breakout of any of the items listed as accessories.
All Streams: Denotes used electronics collected for recycling or reuse from the various return streams used by the participant including: consumer take-back programs; asset recovery programs; retired lease returns; collection events; trade-in programs; etc.
Cell Phones & Other Mobile Devices: Defined as electronic equipment such as cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), organizers, tablets, e-readers, slates, smart phones, compact disc players, gaming systems, calculators, MP3 devices. It also includes any other or new (future) types of equipment that are designed primarily to store or convey information electronically and that are lightweight, mobile in design, and have a 4-inch screen or less measured diagonally.
Due Diligence: Defined as processes to ensure that the certified recycler of first entry into the system as well as vendors receiving materials after the initial certified recycler (i.e., downstream vendors) are also certified to an established third-party certified standard or are examined by the participant’s auditors at least semi-annually to ensure safe management practices (Note: If a certifying body conducts an annual audit, only one additional in-person or paper audit is required per year). Due diligence ensures that company policies on the management of used electronics are followed by all vendors.
Equipment: Defined as electronics equipment such as central processing units (CPUs), desktops, laptops, televisions, printers, monitors, copiers, fax machines, scanners, imaging equipment, radios, tablets, e-readers, slates, netbooks, and heavy equipment such as servers. It further includes any other or new (future) types of equipment that are designed primarily to store or convey information electronically and have a 4-inch screen or larger measured diagonally.
Reuse: Denotes an electronics object, or component of an electronics object that is used again by a different owner either for its original purpose or for a similar purpose, without significantly altering the physical form of the object or material. The electronics object may be cleaned, repaired, or refurbished between uses.
Third-Party Certified Recyclers: For the purposes of the SMM Electronics Challenge, the term “recycler” denotes a refurbisher or recycler certified to a recognized third-party certified recycling program. Similarly, the term “recycling” encompasses recycling, refurbishment and reuse. Currently, Responsible Recycling Practices (R2) and e-Stewards® are the only recognized certification standards for recyclers. However, EPA may recognize additional standards at a later date.
Total Collected for Reuse and Recycling: The total amount of used electronics collected for reuse and recycling, including the amount sent to certified and non-certified recyclers. It can include company assets, business to business, warranty returns, and electronics collected and/or purchased to meet state take-back laws. (10)
