Local Businesses Team Up to Reduce E-Waste

By Anne Twombly

PORTMOUTH - The fast pace of technological change coupled with the short lifespan of modern consumer goods leaves many individuals and businesses with obsolete electronics. These unwanted electronic goods, known as e-waste, are often carelessly discarded, causing an unwitting environmental and health threat. But two local businesses are coming together to bring awareness to this issue and offer a sustainable opportunity for retiring unwanted consumer goods.

On July 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., local e-cycler, MetalWave, is extending its electronic recycling services to the entirety of the Pease Tradeport tenants and their employees free of charge at the Redhook Brewery.

To give some perspective as to the scope of this service to the community, the Tenants Association at Pease, or TAP, encompasses just under 100 businesses and approximately 6,000 employees - all of whom are eligible to participate in the e-cycle fest.

“After last year’s success,” said Jim Jubb, Business Development Manager at MetalWave. “We’re pleased to partner with Redhook and TAP for the second annual event.”

MetalWave will accept a majority of electronic devices including: PCs, laptops, servers, keyboards, projectors, phones, copiers, PC Boards, cables, cords, wires, CPUs, cell phones, VCRs, DVDs, test equipment, game consoles, fluorescent light bulbs, A/V, metal scrap, car batteries, and small refrigerators.

Monitors, printers and batteries will also be accepted for a small fee.

Since 2010, MetalWave, has worked to mitigate the rising tide of wayward e-waste by tackling the issue at the corporate level; serving businesses in New England and beyond with transparent, domestic, and cost-effective end-of-life recycling services.

According to a report by the United Nations University, global e-waste totaled 41.8 million tons in 2014. Unfortunately, of that amount, “Less than one-sixth…is thought to have been properly recycled or made available for reuse.” Additionally, the other components of these products often contain hazardous contaminants such as lead, cadmium, mercury and brominated flame retardants which pose a risk to human health and the environment when not disposed of properly.

The report also stated that this e-waste also represented a reported $52 billion of potentially reusable resources. For example, chips in computer motherboards contain precious metals and servers break down into light iron and copper. Proper recycling of e-waste yields these expensive commodities for repurpose.

Ethically processing this e-waste to remove the hazards and glean the treasure is no simple task. MetalWave complies with strict guidelines to ensure that the electronic waste it handles is properly disassembled, shredded and recycled. MetalWave, as a business, places a strong emphasis on accountability and transparency of operations. Offering customers a report that outlines where every pound of their product has gone, the business can fully account for downstream vendor vetting.

MetalWave complies to the safety standards of a variety of credible and international regulatory organizations. Along with being ISO14011, BS OSHAS 18001 certified, the company is also a certified Basal Action Network (BAN) e-Stewards and R2 Recyclers business. Additionally, both MetalWave and Redhook Brewery are Green Certified through the Green Alliance, a local union of sustainably focused businesses and likeminded consumers.

As an added bonus, and to further incentivizing participation amongst Pease Tradeport employees, Redhook plans to offer a $2 beer coupon redeemable for every five items recycled. There is no limit on the amount of coupons an individual can collect.

Hosting this event is just one of the many sustainability initiatives that Redhook has undergone as a business. No stranger to recycling themselves, the brewery employs a wide array of sustainable practices at their facility to reduce and repurpose waste.

Redhook has a comprehensive composting program where bi-products of the brewing process, as well as food waste from the in-house restaurant, are allocated for local agriculture use, such as animal feed. The brewery has also instituted a facility-wide recycling program and uses corn-based, compostable plastic cups. And the brewery houses an on-site UV wastewater treatment facility, and is exploring ways to trap the leftover methane and convert it to energy for use on the property.

Though the event is event is open exclusively to all Pease Tradeport Tenants and their employees. Non-affiliates with the Tradeport can still always recycle unwanted miscellaneous electronic goods through MetalWave.

For more information on MetalWave’s services and mission, visit www.metalwaveinc.co

To learn more about initiatives at the Redhook Brewery, visit www.redhook.com

To learn more about The Green Alliance, visit www.greenalliance.biz