Apple and HP decline EPA challenge

United States – In a bid to ensure that top electronics manufacturers in the USA meet higher e-scrap recycling standards, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) collected pledges throughout 2012 to commit to its so-called ‘recycling challenge’. Two big names, however, have rejected its approaches, namely Apple and Hewlett Packard (HP).

The EPA’s mission was to have all major electronics manufacturers in the USA sign up to using only those electronics recyclers who are certified either to R2 or e-Stewards, as well as to offering public and EPA supervised insight to their recycling data. The list of participating companies includes: Samsung Electronics; Dell Inc.; Panasonic Corp.; Nokia; Sony Corp. of America; Best Buy Co. Inc.; LG Electronics; Sharp Electronics Corp.; Sprint Nextel Corp.; and Staples Inc.

Apple and HP reason that they have elaborate recycling programmes of their own. The latter, for instance, has a partnership arrangement with challenge recruit Staples to take products from consumers and send them to an R2-certified recycler, the company’€™s Director of Environmental Initiatives Chris Librie has stated.

For more information, visit: www.epa.gov and www.apple.com