(re) blog: dialogue with Redemtech

E-waste Poses a Monster Problem

Got a phone call from an old friend the other day. I recognized his voice immediately by the series of atomic snorts accented by a metallic high-pitched wail, like someone was twisting rusty railroad tracks around an angry dolphin. A little puff of smoke escaped from my cell phone, signaling big news: Godzilla got a new job

Tomorrow’s News Today, Part 3

DATELINE: Washington, D.C. Oct. 27, 2043 – An economic disaster that analysts have compared to the Great Depression of the 1930s and the Not-So-Great Depression of 2008-10 was averted today as fast-acting legislators sold the Lunar Colonies for $700 quadrillion in a bail-out plan that should solve many financial problems around the world.

Red Flag Rules Will Impact Most Businesses

Historians claim the earliest reference to the use of a red flag for an official purpose arose in the early 17th century when armies used a red flag to signal that they were prepared to do battle. Since that time, red flags have been utilized for many purposes, but generally have come to mean a warning. When you see a red flag, you are to take notice.

Low Value E-Waste Processing: Are U.S. Scrap Metal Smelters the Missing Link?

In 1977 - before cell phones, CDs and a then-bearish 15-17-cent-a-pound Lead (Pb) market - for a short time I worked overseeing a lead products warehouse. To my surprise, the warehouse consisted of more than 50 lead-base products. Back then, the range of products derived from recycled lead from our smelter next door amazed me. Lead came (the kind you find in Tiffany glass), as well as oil drilling bits, sheet lead, oxide, pigments, an assortment of solders, varieties of lead alloys and ship/boat anodes. One of the best features of the job was interacting with customers and truckers from all across the U.S.

Don’t Be Caught Off-Guard by Data Breach

I had an important appointment recently at a destination that is approximately 20 minutes from my home if you can take the interstate highway, avoid most of the traffic and accept that an enormous iron oil derrick is going to be hurled at you along the way.

BusinessWeek Exposes the e-Cycling Integrity Gap

I am happy to report that times have changed. When we started Redemtech 10 years ago, many corporate clients questioned the need for responsible electronics recycling. It was common practice in 1998 to use the dumpster for asset disposition, and exporting ewaste to developing countries was perfectly acceptable: not anymore. Most companies now demand responsible management of their surplus electronics, and a few service providers like Redemtech have invested tens of millions to deliver truly accountable results. As BusinessWeek discovered, we are the exception.

New Nevada Law May Foretell Encryption Laws in Other States

Nevada recently became the first U.S. state to enact a law that specifically requires encryption for all external electronic transfers of customers' personal information. Analysts predict that the Nevada law, NRS 597.970, will increase pressure on organizations to encrypt electronic transmissions of sensitive personal information, which will require businesses to increase employee training and investments in external communication channels to be compliant.

Would Chipper Please Get Out of the Street?

The other night, as a favor to my neighbor, I was walking my neighbor’s big dog ¬- Benjamin Franklin Pierce Brosnan - through my neighborhood when we came upon a small puppy in distress. The fact that the tiny, hairy dog wore pink ribbons tied to his ears was distressing enough, but the appearance was even more upsetting in that the pup was sitting calmly in the middle of the street.

Why It Makes Sense To Take the Professional Approach In Managing E-Waste

Not long ago, I was at the E-Scrap Conference, reading an email notice from the California Integrated Waste Management board. It led me to think about the program’s objectives. When I took part in the SB-20 stakeholder’s workshops, these were among the CIWMB’s leading objectives: landfill diversion and toxin avoidance, beginning e-waste recycling industry regulation and developing an enforcement mechanism to generate income.