Sims Recycling Solutions’ away facility earns prestigious R2 certification

By Paul Ploumis

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): The Stalybridge, Manchester, UK electronics recycling facility of Sims Recycling Solutions (SRS) has earned the prestigious Responsible Recycling (R2:2013) certification from Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI). This is not the company’s first overseas facility to be R2 certified. In August 2016, SRS’s Singapore electronics recycling plant had received the same certification.

According to Steve Skurnac, president of Sims Recycling Solutions, the achievement of R2 certification by the facility is in recognition of the company’s continued commitment to recycling of end-of-life electronic equipment in the region. The award of certification will raise the bar for electronic waste treatment companies in the UK, he added.

Incidentally, the facility has a capacity to handle up to 32,000 tons of electronic waste per annum. Located ten miles east of Manchester, the Stalybridge plant recycles complete high-grade IT scrap as well as components and pre-processed IT scrap, collected from client sites throughout the UK and Europe. The recycling process recovers hazardous substances such as cadmium, CFCs, phosphors and radioactive substances in the most eco-friendly way in compliance with regulatory requirements. The facility employs advanced data destruction techniques, which ensures that sensitive data are wiped out from the collected electronic products.

The R2:2013 is the latest version of R2 and the leading certification in the electronics recycling industry. It provides a common set of processes, safety measures, and documentation for ITAD companies. R2 certified vendors repair, disassemble and recycle used electronic equipment using processes that emphasize reuse, transparency, environmental health and worker safety.

Recently, Sims Recycling Solutions’ US on-site destruction services had received AAA certification from the National Association for Information Destruction (NAID). The company had noted that it is proud to have its on-site security services certified, which itself proclaims that its operations meet strictest standards of environmental and operational excellence. The certification makes their customers compliant with their data destruction responsibilities, the company press release noted.

Earlier during April last year, SRS’s sites across the Europe and Asia-Pacific region were accredited by the Asset Disposal and Information Security Alliance (ADISA) at distinction level for maintaining highest IT Asset Disposition standards. Accordingly, the company facilities in the Czech Republic, Germany, India, Netherlands, Poland, Singapore and Sweden were certified as accredited locations. The authority had mentioned that the sites succeeded in standardizing its approach to ITAD, creating a high-quality, consistent and secure delivery mechanism across all locations.

About Sims Recycling Solutions

Sims Recycling Solutions is the global leader in electronics reuse and recycling. It has over 20 years experience in comprehensive IT asset disposition and mobile device refurbishment services either directly or through acquired businesses. Sims provides disposition services for all types of retired electronic equipment to local, national and global customers in every business sector including data centers, healthcare, financial service and technical organizations. The company is a part of Sims Metal Management Limited, the world’s leading publicly listed metal and electronics recycler.