HOBI Weekly Blog Recap (12/04-12/07)
In July 2020, Sustainable Electronics Recycling (SERI) released R2v3, the first major revision of the R2 practices since 2013. As the highest quality standard certification in the sustainability space, R2v3 compliance is an integral part of ensuring customers of desired results when practicing data destruction. Spanning 10 different areas, the R2v3 requirements include tighter safety measures when it comes to data security, and a more detailed description of services such as a scope statement, process requirements, a list of other locations, etc. These new changes have led some to wonder if the bar has been set too high. This series will focus on breaking down the new compliance updates and how they affect the ITAD and recycling industries. The first few major changes include Scope and EH&S Management System updates.
Scope: The new R2v3 requirements include a mandate for auditing and certification of all electronic equipment, components, and materials managed at an R2 facility. The mandate brings all processes and activities under the scope of audits and certification. The update requires the facility to maintain public communication regarding the current listings of all of the “non R2” locations used for electronic recycling. The new R2 standard also prohibits R2 certification of any organizations listed on the SERI website for deceptive, fraudulent or illegal acts within the past 24 months.
EH&S Management System: This update focuses on safety measures like risk exposure, visual inspection, and sanitation of R2 facilities, with new inclusions in the R2v3 Environment, Health and Safety (EH&S) Management System section. R2 companies are now required to periodically assess the risk of exposure to hazardous substances, and R2v3 necessitates visual inspection of all electronic devices and components for damage or other issues that may harm the environment, or the health and safety of employees.
These new changes require companies to provide more details and budget for employee training, as IT asset disposition and recycling enterprises now must provide more processing information, and maintain even higher standards for sanitation and data security to meet R2v3 compliance. Companies have until June 2023 to make the transition. Considering these new changes, the problem might not be that the bar is too high, but that every company is forced to jump over the bar in exactly the same way. The standard is very prescriptive in its nature, and may limit companies’ ability to be innovative in their process approach and methods for meeting client requirements.
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