Provided is a weekly snapshot of the recent mobile, recycling and ITAD related news that HOBI’s blog reported during the week 2/04-2/08. Survey reveals 2018 was the “worst year ever” for the smartphone market Did you upgrade to a new smartphone last year? If not, you’re not alone. A recent survey reveals 2018 was the…
Large U.S. organizations have made major improvements in their ITAD practices within the last year, according to new primary and secondary research conducted by Compliance Standards LLC (CS). But despite reports of several indications that positive ITAD practices have gained momentum, an unsettled ITAD vendor ecosystem still raises concern among ITAD service buyers, which has…
The following photos and article were taken and written by Rachel H. Pollack and published in ISRI’s Scrap magazine. First things first: HOBI is pronounced “hobby,” and it’s simply a combination of the first two letters of the last names of siblings Cathy Hill, CEO, and Craig Boswell, president, the founders and owners of HOBI…
Provided is a weekly snapshot of the recent tech, IoT, and data security news that HOBI’s blog reported on during the week 8/27-8/31. Proposed changes to the International Fire Code (IFC) could be costly for ITAD processors Craig Boswell, HOBI’s president, discusses how a proposed international fire code could effect electronic recyclers. Earlier this year,…
Provided is a weekly snapshot of the recent technology, renewable energy, and mobile related news that HOBI’s blog reported on during the week 5/07-5/11. The Rising Demand for Printed Circuit Boards The printed circuit board (PCB) industry has recently experienced rapid growth and studies show that predictions for the future are equally as optimistic. And…
The benefits of a comprehensive IT asset management (ITAM) program may seem obvious since it provides the data needed to strategically and tactically manage the lifecycle of IT assets from purchase to end of life. Of course, companies can leverage IT asset management to reduce costs, improve operational efficiency, determine the full cost of existing…
Dealing with lithium-ion batteries is never an easy thing. Much about the safety of these devices depends on the quality of the battery and the type of product it’s in. Lithium-ion batteries are one of the most common batteries on the market and can be found powering a wide variety of consumer products since they…
Provided is a quick glimpse of the most recent technology and recycling related news that the HOBI Blog reported on during the week 3/19-3/23. Mobile IoT Set to Move from Deployment to Monetization Without question, the Internet of Things (IoT) has been growing at an incredible rate. The mobile industry embraced the challenge of rapidly…
Asset Disposition refers to getting rid of an asset by direct sale or some other transfer in method. The changes in IT industries and development of technology on daily bases have created many problems of mounting e-waste. IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) solutions help organizations safely destroy material and recycle IT equipment in an environmentally friendly…
Data security is a critical concern, yet many companies don’t have a thorough policy to properly destroy data at the end o the IT asset lifecycle, which is a growing problem. According to Ponemon Institute, a firm that conducts independent research on privacy, data protection and information security policies, last year the average total cost…
According to UN figures published at the end of last year, the amount of electronic waste created across the world reached an annual high of 43 million tons with only 8.6 million of this recycled. By 2121, this is predicted to rise to a staggering 55.2 million tons. As more technology is introduced to the…
The following is a recap of the HOBI blog during the week of 12/11-12/15. U.K. students research cheaper tools for identifying plastics Team Matoha, a group composed of four undergraduate students at Imperial College London, is looking into developing low-cost instruments that will manually identify and sort plastic materials based on resin type. OEM representative…
Enhancing Repairability of Lithium-Ion batteries in Mobile Devices by: Craig Boswell Concern for safe battery removal — particularly in mobile devices — is prompting processors, industry organizations and OEMs to examine design, manufacturing and disassembly procedures. Due to the highly volatile nature of lithium-ion batteries, establishing a set of industry safety standards and manufacturing protocols…
Craig Melson, a program manager at techUK, penned an article for New Electronics, a U.K. trade publication for electronics engineers, where he discussed the emerging repairability and recyclability expectations facing the electronics industry. Melson also addressed the important key role that electronics engineers play in ensuring that devices are repairable and recyclable. “Whilst innovation and…
The following is a weekly recap of the HOBI blog for the week 11/20-11/22. China Releases New Proposed Contaminants Threshold On Nov. 15, the Government of China notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of its intent to adopt the Environmental Protection Control Standards for Imported Solid Wastes as Raw Materials (GB 16487 .2-13), standards that…