ERI processed slightly fewer total pounds of electronics last year, but the weight of devices it diverted for reuse increased, according to the company’s latest sustainability report.
The nationwide electronics recycling and reuse company processed 121.07 million pounds of electronics last year, down 5% from the year before, ERI’s 2022 environmental, social and governance (ESG) report stated. Of that, 4.10 million pounds were diverted for reuse, up 8% from the prior year.
The Fresno, Calif.-based company estimated that the electronics it recycled last year contained 49.20 million pounds of base metals; 24.90 million pounds of plastic; 16.70 million pounds of precious-metals-containing materials such as circuit boards; 11.00 million pounds of glass; 2.60 million pounds of “other recyclables” such as lamps, cartridges and packaging; and 2.10 million pounds of batteries.
The 2022 ESG report also touched on used electronics markets, noting that, with COVID-19 affecting supply chains for many companies, ERI was able to recover 650,000 electronic components for resale and reuse in 2022.
The report also included a few details on the company’s recycling robots. They include ERNIE, which was developed by ERI to dismantle flat-panel displays, and SAM, which was provided by AMP Robotics and which uses AI recognition capabilities to sort shredded e-scrap commodities. According to the report, ERNIE dismantled over 1 million units by the end of 2022, and SAM sorted over 30 million pieces.
After opening a facility in Goodyear, Ariz. late last year, ERI now has nine processing locations around the U.S.
