Resource Recycling’s annual E-Scrap conference concluded last Thursday. HOBI International president Craig Boswell contributed to the conference’s opening session and provide insights on the future of the e-scrap processing industry.
E-Scrap’s opening session addressed industry challenges including the effect of wearables on overall profitability, and the importance of certifications. Boswell addressed the costliness of processing newer IoT devices, such as connectable watches, clothing and household devices.
“With the internet of things, the end-of-life economics have gotten poorer,” Boswell said. “We’ve had to start separating batteries from almost everything, which has meant more cost in that end-of-life process.”
Along with addressing the newfound challenges in processing wearables, the opening session discussed the value of certifications and downstream due diligence. Experts agreed that certifications have increased the desire for transparent downstream due diligence, or companies claiming responsibility for how materials are handled throughout processing.
The E-Scrap conference will return in 2017 to the Omni Orlando ChampionsGate resort.