Missouri Department of Natural Resources

Bysurplusexchange

Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Grant

If after reading this summary, you would like to know more

about how we can help your district, city, or municipality practice Electronic

Reuse and Recycling, click HERE  to fill out our

simple, “How We Can Help You” survey.

Title:

Missouri Obsolete and End of Life Electronics Project

Project

Number:  99013

 

Purpose:

To

divert an additional estimated 4,000 tons of solid non-hazardous waste, in the

form of obsolete and end-of-life business and household consumer electronics,

by:

1)

Developing, on a state-wide basis, the forum for implementing solutions for

managing obsolete and end-of-life electronic equipment; 

2)

Promoting, developing and coordinating a  state-wide

program for the effective collection and processing of the targeted electronics;  

3)

Providing specific reuse, recycling and business training, on a statewide basis, to

those Missouri regions and municipalities wanting to develop business equipment

reuse and recycling programs for the purpose of diverting these targeted

electronics from the waste stream.

 

 

Project

Components:

Though

the proposed project does include a state-wide Electronics Recycling and Reuse

Forum, this project is not just about providing theoretical reuse and

recycling ideas.  The intent is to

develop and provide the State of Missouri’s regions and municipalities with

proven reuse programs and strategies that are long term solutions for reducing

waste and conserving resources.  Surplus

Exchange will not only draw upon its 15 years of reuse and recycling expertise,

but will also utilize the expertise of other Missouri and national reuse and

recycling solution providers, including The Reuse Development Organization (ReDO),

and the EPA, to accomplish the goals of this project.

Through

this project, The Surplus Exchange is committed to not only raising the level of

awareness about electronics reuse and recycling, but to also provide programs

that work, and hands-on training for those municipalities and regions wanting to

make more electronics reuse and recycling

happen faster!

1)

  Electronic Reuse and Recycling

Marketing and Education

A)

Sponsoring a one day State-Wide Electronics Reuse and Recycling Forum. 

The Forum will be open to all state regions and municipalities, and will

be presented by regional and national electronics reuse and recycling experts

(including the Reuse Development            

Organization) whose training segments will help create a coordinated

state-wide effort. The Forum will showcase electronics reuse and recycling

programs and strategies currently in operation, which successfully address the

obsolete, and end-of-life electronics concerns. Secondly, it is our intent to

utilize this aspect of the proposal to further coordinate statewide efforts in

keeping these problematic electronics out of the landfill by:

1)

Showing participants how to add simple, or complex electronics reuse and

recycling strategies to their existing municipal and county collection programs.

2)

Coordinating state-wide collection consolidation points, and unified sales to

major recyclers in order to “cut-down” on the high costs associated with

electronics collection and processing.

3)

in particular, coordinating all efforts for the environmentally sound disposal

of the more problematic electronics such as broken monitors, broken and/obsolete

terminals, broken TV’s, and “other” recyclable electronics which incur more

cost to process than revenues received.

4)

Developing product stewardship initiatives, for the purpose of presenting the

reuse of electronic products as a more attractive and feasible alternative to

their disposal.

B)

Developing and distributing a State of Missouri Electronics Reuse and Recycling

Guide.  This on-line and printed

guide will inform the public of:

1)

Businesses and programs throughout the state which are sources for businesses

and individuals to send their electronics to for either reuse or recycling.

2)

Non-profit organizations throughout the state, which are in need of reusable

electronics.

3)

Descriptions of strategies for businesses and individuals to follow, which will

help them, get maximum, extended use out of their existing electronics – thus

creating less waste.

4)

Specific electronics events such as “Second Chance Week” (see below), or

electronic drop-off events scheduled throughout the state.

5)

All information collected regarding this concern.

C)

As part of America Recycles Day, this project will help the Solid Waste

Management Districts develop and promote “Second Chance Week” – a week of

activities promoting electronics reuse

as a means to reduce waste by finding second lives for what are perceived as

obsolete and end-of-life electronics.  There

are many benefits associated with Second Chance Week, such as increasing the

number of useful donations to non-profits, charities and schools, as well as

providing bargain hunters, thrift store shoppers, re-users and recyclers more

opportunities to purchase inexpensive reusable electronic items. It is not            

our intent to reinvent the wheel, we will model our Second Chance Week

activities after the very successful

California and Indiana programs.

2)

Specific Reuse Training and Pilot Programs For State Districts

A)

Successful electronics reuse and recycling projects throughout the country come

in many forms, and provide a variety of services and programs. 

The common thread is that each project is based on their community’s

specific needs and available resources.  And

like with any “good business”, needs and resources are first determined by

utilizing a business plan or feasibility study.

Based

on each districts’ population and their number of businesses, not everyone can

justify operating a full-service business equipment reuse and recycling center

such as The Surplus Exchange.  Even

so, other forms of electronics reuse and recycling programs are feasible, and

can impact the amounts of electronics entering the landfill. 

This project proposes two distinct reuse and recycling pilot programs:

1)

Electronic Equipment Drop and Swap Pilot Programs

Arrangements

have been made, contingent upon receiving funding for this project, with

Donna

Burris, Region D, SWMD, and Terry Gilman, Region N, SWMD for the development of

one weekend electronics drop and swap program for each of these SWMDs. Each

program will allow area individuals and businesses to bring their reusable and

broken electronics (no hazardous materials) to the collection

site. Reusable electronics will be set aside for verifiable non-profit

organizations and their constituents

to have on a donation basis, and for the general public to purchase. 

Revenue realized from these sales will be utilized to fund future drop

and swap programs, or for however the SWMD deems appropriate. 

Those electronics which are not readily reusable will be loaded on the

Surplus Exchange recycling truck and brought to our facility for processing and

shipping to major regional and national recycling companies. In addition,

Surplus Exchange, along with volunteers from the participating region, will

provide the trained technical staff to help test the collected electronics.

2)

For other municipalities or districts, a business equipment reuse and recycling

center is appropriate,

and can be sustained.  For this

project, Region L SWMD, (based on their population and the number of businesses

in their district), has identified themselves as a viable candidate for a

successful business equipment reuse and recycling center. 

Surplus Exchange proposes to consult with Region L, and provide the

expertise and business planning skills specific to this industry, which are

required to help insure a successful program.

Surplus

Exchange will provide 100 hours of contact time (both on site and phone) for

this aspect

of the project.  A business plan

approach will be utilized, including:

• Market Analysis (identifying amounts of materials available,

and potential users)

           

• Market Plan (for the collection and processing of targeted materials)

           

• Organizational Structure and Administration (how will the business be

structured)

           

• Product and Service Descriptions (will it be a general business

equipment center, or just electronics; what other related programs or services

will be offered)

           

• Site Selection Criteria

           

• Cash Flow Analysis (three year projections)

In

addition, Surplus Exchange will share with Region L its fifteen-year history and

knowledge of this industry, including:

           

• Successful reuse and recycling marketing and advertising

           

• Setting up a successful equipment donation program

           

• Staff training

           

• Fund raising strategies

           

• Equipment purchasing

           

• End-user sales marketing and advertising

           

• Sharing of existing recycling and metals markets

           

• Developing community occupational and educational programs based on

reuse

It

is the intent for both of these pilot projects to provide a beginning structure

for an actual (not just theoretical) unified and statewide, electronics reuse

and recycling program.  We would

like to show that Missouri could make more electronics reuse and recycling

happen faster, efficiently and in a cost effective manner.