Because of the high likelihood that a significant portion of your organization’s electronics are eventually going to be recycled due to the general trend of electronics recycling and disposition, this guide is somewhat oriented toward end-of-life management.
The information provided below is intended to provide a comprehensive guide for organizations seeking to manage their IT assets in compliance with regulations and/or with a general sense of environmental responsibility. This guide is designed to assist organizations in their selection of an electronics recycler and to enable IT asset managers to compare various methods of IT asset disposition.
But what does this mean for you? Given the increasing significance of electronics recycling in the wake of e-waste exportation to developing countries, environmentally driven company initiatives have led to a growing trend of greening the IT department. Even organizations that don’t have to worry about regulatory demands or public relations fall under given local, state, or federal regulations that would necessitate them to manage their electronics as universal or hazardous waste. An R2 certified recycler understands its clients’ legal obligations with respect to various environmental regulations and offers a mechanism to manage the environmental aspects of electronics in a manner that will help save time and money to prevent environmental incidents.
In its efforts to promote and implement best practices in recycling the electronics industry, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in conjunction with industry stakeholders, has developed a voluntary electronics recycling standard to help improve the credibility and access of electronics recyclers to sell their services. Known as the Responsible Recycling Practices (R2), this standard is a synthesis of 25 best practices drawn from two widely used electronics recycling standards. This voluntary program is designed to promote and assess responsible practices for environmental, worker health and safety, security, and downstream management of used electronics. Evident in the standard is the general principle that electronic scrap contains both hazardous and non-hazardous materials that should be managed in an environmentally sustainable manner. R2 certification is open to any electronics recycler, refurbisher, or other organization that desires to improve the quality of its processes in a flexible and appropriate manner. Addressing a globalized world, the standard has also been designed to allow for multilingual and cross-border implementation with a goal of promoting a single standard of best practices throughout the electronics recycling industry.
Electronics recycling is becoming an ever more important part of doing business for organizations around the world. Customers, employees, and the public are demanding that businesses be more environmentally responsible. At the same time, the numerous and complex environmental regulations at the local, state, federal, and global levels make the process of managing electronics recycling and dispositioning increasingly difficult. At the heart of environmental responsibility and regulatory compliance in electronics recycling is the need to manage all the various materials found in electronic products in a safe and sustainable manner. The recycling industry has long understood the importance of defining materials by categories for quality control in metal shredding and by using reclaimed materials as a way to conserve the earth’s natural resources. r2 certified company This certification ensures that companies meet the highest environmental standards. By becoming R2 certified, companies can demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability and gain a competitive edge in the market.
What is R2 Certification?
The certification also has quality provisions designed to improve the implementation and effectiveness of environmental, health, and safety systems. By incorporating ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards into the R2 system, electronics recyclers can integrate their responsible recycling practices with other business management systems in a way that will strengthen the entire organization.
At its core, the R2 certification is all about safe and sustainable electronics recycling. R2 calls for electronics recyclers to evaluate the environmental, health, and safety aspects of equipment throughout the entire recycling process. This includes, but is not limited to, materials management, data destruction, environmental safeguards for the recycling workers, and the communities to which they belong.
The R2 certification is a rigorous standard that addresses the environmental, health, and safety aspects of electronics recycling. R2 is the leading standard for electronics repair and recycling. R2 is open to all electronics recyclers and focuses on a process-based approach to quality.
Importance of R2 Certification for Companies
R2 certification is most important for companies that operate in the IT asset disposition (ITAD) sector or provide a variety of electronic, resale, refurbishing, or recycling services. Achieving R2 certification can provide a company a safe harbor from legislative pressures that are arising in many states and countries regarding environmental stewardship and the movement and disposal of used electronics. In states with e-waste laws, many of the purchasers of used electronics are requiring that their service providers be certified to an electronics recycling standard in order to ensure that their retired IT equipment is managed in an environmentally responsible manner, protect their own liabilities, or to qualify for certain tax benefits. R2 certification will position a company to meet these requirements so that it can continue to acquire used electronics for refurbishment or recycling. With the US EPA recently mandating that all electronics resellers and recyclers who sell to or handle materials from the federal government must be certified to a third-party electronics recycling standard, R2 certification has become particularly important for companies wishing to serve this large customer segment. Electronics recyclers and refurbishers have been faced with increasing market and regulatory pressures to demonstrate that they are managing used electronics in an environmentally and socially responsible manner, whether it is to secure new business or maintain the customers they already have. R2 certification provides a clear, universal and verifiable standard to which recyclers and refurbishers can be held accountable. While some recyclers may aim to improve their management of used electronics and differentiate themselves in the marketplace by implementing R2 practices without seeking certification, these companies would need to consider the risks and costs of not being certified. Over time, the absence of R2 certification may put these companies at a disadvantage compared to their certified competitors, as there are increasing numbers of electronics manufacturers and purchasers who are requiring their recycling partners to be certified to R2. Additionally, some companies may struggle to effectively implement each of the R2 practices in their first attempt, since the R2 standard was designed to promote the continual improvement of electronics recycling and to raise the bar over time for what is considered environmentally responsible. As the industry and R2 standard evolve, a company’s customers and business partners will likely raise their expectations towards the standard, making R2 certification an increasingly important milestone for electronics recyclers and refurbishers to reach. R2 certification symbolizes a company’s commitment to responsible electronics recycling, and as the standard becomes more widely recognized and understood, it will likely become a prerequisite for serving certain customers or markets.
Benefits of Achieving R2 Certification
R2 has also proven to be very useful in showing recyclers best management practices for key environmental, health, and safety (EHS) areas. Following these practices can provide long term financial benefits by reducing adjacent environmental impacts and liability costs.
R2 has several benefits for a recycler beyond ensuring that they can retain or gain new customers. The standard is designed to help recyclers better identify, manage, and track materials through production and final disposition. This can lead to increased operational efficiency and productivity. By properly tracking materials with serial numbers and recording the exact quantity, a recycler can reduce the chances of lost or misplaced materials and can easily determine the profitability of processing certain materials. This is precisely how one of the most successful R2 certified companies is utilizing the standard.
There are numerous reasons why a company will seek certification to the R2 Standard. By far the most important is that it is fast becoming a requirement to do business in the electronics recycling industry. Many companies are finding that in order to set themselves apart from their competition and provide more value to their customers, R2 certification is a clear differentiator. The certification also allows a company to more easily expand their customer base to include larger national accounts and to do recycling at multiple locations. This is because many large companies and government organizations are requiring that their e-recyclers be R2 certified. In short, certification can be a strong marketing tool that results in increased sales.
Preparation for R2 Certification
Once your company has decided to proceed with R2 certification, the first step is to form an implementation team that will lead the effort. Sketch out an initial plan, including what resources will be required and how long the process is expected to take. Be sure to define who will be in charge of what. Creating and managing a timeline for the overall project and individual tasks is a key consideration. One of the initial steps the implementation team should undertake is to purchase a copy of the R2 Standard. This can be done from the R2 Solutions website. The standard will be the roadmap for your entire R2 implementation and will be used to aid in the interpretation of what is required for conformance. After an initial review of the standard, the implementation team should seek formal R2 training. This is often most effective when done as a group, allowing for team discussion on how best to apply requirements within your organization. By the end of this stage, the implementation team should have a solid understanding of what R2 requires and be ready to do a gap analysis, comparing current practices against the requirements.
Understanding R2 Certification Requirements
The first step in preparing for your R2 certification audit is to understand the requirements of the standard. This requires that you obtain a copy of the R2 standard and familiarize yourself with its expectations. One thing that you will notice is that R2 is not a plug and play system. It does not provide a cookbook recipe on how to comply with each provision. This is because the R2 provisions are high level and global, such that they can be applied to any size or type of organization, operating anywhere in the world. The R2 standard expects that each provision will be implemented in a manner that is appropriate to the size, type, and circumstances of the organization seeking certification. This approach provides maximum flexibility, but it also requires a solid understanding of what is expected and requires that the organization document how it is going to meet each requirement. To be certain all key stakeholders within the organization have an understanding of what is expected, it is very useful to have a gap analysis meeting facilitated by a team member who was part of the initial R2 development process. This will provide a forum for the exchange of questions and answers, which often are of benefit for obtaining a deeper understanding of what is expected. The team member may be able to provide additional examples of how the provision may be implemented and can provide a useful perspective on the key issues that are likely to be faced. This can help different departments within the organization to gain an understanding of the R2 requirements as they apply to their own area of operation and can be quite valuable in the next step, where the organization will evaluate what it must do to meet the requirements.
Assessing Current Processes and Practices
Beginning the process to achieve R2 certification starts with assessing your current processes and practices. This could include a few different areas within your organization. Firstly, it is important to establish a process to build a list of all of the processes and practices that are currently in place. This could be a simple spreadsheet providing the opportunity to not only list what is in place, but also to rate each individual process or practice. The reasons for the ratings will be addressed later in the process. This rating is going to be evaluating the risk level associated with each individual process or practice. This will allow the organization to prioritize which processes and practices to focus on first and will provide an opportunity to compare the risk level after changes are implemented. It is suggested that a GAP analysis be completed on each individual site and for each individual practice or process to provide a clear understanding of where you are now and where you want to be. A GAP analysis provides a foundation on which to build a detailed solution for change. By using a GAP analysis, you can identify what specific actions need to be taken in current processes and practices in order to achieve the desired result. Without a well-planned strategy for change, there is a risk of inconsistent implementation. This analysis will set the standard for determining future success of completing the actions identified to change processes and practices.
Identifying Gaps and Areas for Improvement
Identifying clear and measurable objectives and targets for improvement is necessary. Though each goal may not result in an immediate action, strategy or project, it is important to look at the cost, benefits, and time involved in achieving a goal. Resource needs may dictate tackling a goal all at once or planning for gradual improvement over time. Remember that it is one thing to say what you do, and quite another to say what you actually are doing. It is important to assess and document existing activities by using various tools such as process mapping, gap analysis, and SWOT. Following this, you can prioritize which gaps to address first by looking at the severity of the risk, the available opportunity to improve, the ability to integrate the solution into pre-existing processes, and the perceived risk and cost of implementation. Always record the reasoning behind setting certain priorities. This will be helpful as the strategic decision made may not always line up with the initial intentions.
Developing an Action Plan
An action plan should be developed with a main focus on bringing systems into compliance and preparing key documents that will serve as evidence of compliance. Your gap analysis can serve as a starting point for a prioritized list of actions. In essence, every identified gap should have a corresponding action plan specifying what will be done, who will do it, and when it will be completed. It should be noted that specific action items are required for each element that includes legal and other requirements, aspects, and objectives/targets. These action items should identify and target the areas where your system is not meeting the requirement. Where requirements have been met, but documented procedures are insufficient, the action item will be to develop and document procedures. Where no procedures exist, the action item will be to implement a new procedure. Target dates should be set for completion of each action item. This provides staff with a clear expectation of when changes will be occurring and helps to keep the action plan on track.
Once all the steps described in the preceding sections have been achieved, the next phase is to develop an action plan. For most companies, an action plan can be considered a road map, specifying where you are, where you want to be, and how you intend to get there. In the case of implementing an EHS management system, ensuring committed leadership is essential. In order for any EHS policy to achieve its objective, including a sustainable house, the importance of top management and leadership is key. As leadership and top management, it is crucial to the success of the system.
Implementing R2 Certification Standards
The third-party certification process is an important step in identifying both if the company’s newly established policies are in conformance with R2 as well as training employees with regards to what is expected of them under the R2 standard. The Certification Audit is conducted in two stages. The purpose of the initial audit is to determine the readiness of the organization to undergo a full documentation audit. The second audit is a full audit of the system by the third-party auditors to determine conformance to the R2 standard.
Once your company has made the commitment to move to R2 certification, the next step is to determine the gap between your company’s current system and the requirements of the R2 standard. This can be accomplished by doing a Gap Analysis. The Gap Analysis will identify the performance of your current system and evaluate the degree of conformance of existing systems compared to the R2 standard. Following the completion of the Gap Analysis, the next steps would be to establish policies and procedures to ensure that the work is performed in accordance with R2 requirements. By doing this, companies can create a roadmap that will reinforce their commitment to R2 implementation. This roadmap will help to identify the necessary resources, steps, and key milestones in order to achieve adequate conformance to the R2 standard. This should be a systemic and prioritized plan that incorporates all information about the organization’s processes and systems.
Establishing Policies and Procedures
A critical resource in developing policies and procedures is the R2 Code of Practices (COP). The team must “translate” the R2 COP into specific policies that incorporate the requirements and the company’s overall vision. The team should address only one section of the COP in each policy to ensure that policies are clear, succinct, and specific to one issue. This exercise also ensures that no requirements are overlooked or omitted. Each policy should then be reviewed by the project manager to ensure that it meets the goals set forth and the company’s vision and then reviewed again by upper management. After all policies have been reviewed, they should be distributed to the workforce for comments and then revised accordingly. Once all policies have had the workforce review and have been revised, upper management holds final approval authority prior to implementation.
Policies represent the “laws” of compliance for an organization, and procedures are an organization’s way of doing something. It’s critical to understand how to develop effective policies and procedures. To develop policies and procedures, a company must first establish a policy development team. The team should be made up of several key individuals from various levels of the organization to ensure all aspects are considered and addressed in the policies. It is important that the team includes someone from upper management to ensure the company’s overall vision is incorporated into the policies. A project manager should be appointed to keep the development process on track and ensure tasks are completed.
Training Employees on R2 Certification Requirements
The only way to ensure that an implemented R2 management system is effective and efficient is to ensure that all personnel understand both the system and their individual roles and responsibilities. This can only be achieved through effective education and training. Education and training are key factors in achieving full conformance with the R2 standard. An effective implementation, as well as incorporating R2 requirements into daily work practices, cannot be fully achieved without a thorough understanding of what is required and expected. This ideally should entail including R2 education and training into new employee orientation, as well as refresher courses as the system evolves. The education and training program should be designed to define and achieve specific objectives over a determined period of time. This period of time will depend on the complexity of the objectives and the initial understanding of the personnel being trained. Objectives can be achieved through a variety of methods, recurring to different learning styles and preferences, and accommodating for different literacy and language abilities. A mix of written observance with discussions and questions may work well, supplemented with visual aids such as process maps, diagrams, or instructional videos. At various intervals, evaluation and interviews can be utilized to verify that trained personnel understand and are able to implement what they have learned. This can range from simply asking questions during the training to written exams and interviews to test general and specific knowledge and competency.
Implementing Document Control Systems
The first step in the process of implementing document control systems is to actually define what is meant by ‘documents’ and what are the criteria for controlling them. A ‘document’ in this context is defined very broadly; it describes any piece of recorded information. This ranges from a specification, product drawing or inspection record to ‘soft’ documents such as process data, Standard Operating Procedures and work instructions. The criteria for control range from total uncontrolled access to the document to preventing the document from becoming obsolete. With these definitions and criteria established, a ratio can be established to determine what level of control is required for each category of document i.e. a specification must be stored, reviewed and made obsolete at a higher level of control than an inspection record. This in itself is a valuable exercise in that it gets people thinking about the importance of the various documents that they use. The next step is to engage the people who work in the organisation in developing a system that meets the requirements. Without involvement and engagement, there will be no ‘buy in’ to the system and it will be difficult to sustain the use of a document control system when time is tight or things are not going well. An effective way to do this is to run workshops using samples of documents from the various categories. Working in groups, the people who use the documents can discuss what level of control is required and what would be the most effective way to achieve it. This process can actually be quite revealing in that different people may have different views about what a document actually means. Once the system has been developed and tried on selected documents, it will need to be documented in a way that it can be implemented consistently and then the system must be communicated to all of the people who will need to use it. They will of course need training on how to use the system which is also an essential part of effective document control.
Ensuring Proper Handling and Disposal of Electronics
To correctly manage focus materials, a company must start with establishing whether a material is in fact a focus material as defined by the EPA hazardous waste regulations or if it is a commodity. R2:2008 defines focus materials as “materials [that] are managed separately, and can include, but are not limited to circuit boards, toner cartridges, and batteries”. This determination is critical to the management and tracking of the material. Any focus material that is to be recycled or disposed must be tracked using records that are consistent with R2:2008 Provision 2. This can be achieved by separating the material into a storage area and creating a document that describes the type and quantity of the material. A bill of lading must be used to transfer material to a reclamation facility or to ship material to another location. Any final disposition of material must be accompanied by a notification to the customer that includes a description of the method used to manage the material. An electronic recycling or disposal company that wants to uphold conformance to R2 must employ the use of the EPA hazardous waste regulations to manage and track focus materials. This is the best way to ensure that the material does not pose a threat to human health or the environment.
Electronic devices are a prominent waste stream today, comprising 1% of solid waste. With landfills declining as an option for disposal due to new and existing regulations and their potential effects on the environment, this waste stream requires environmentally and ethically sound management solutions. Electronics recycling and disposal (R2 Section – “Focus Materials”) is highly complex, and if done improperly can result in environmental and human health impacts, and an increased risk of data security breaches. In order to ensure proper handling and disposal of electronics, R2:2008 requires that all Focus Material is tracked from the time it leaves the owner’s facility to its final disposition, and that all downstream vendors and processors manage the Focus Materials properly.
Auditing and Maintaining R2 Certification
Internal audits are a critical self-monitoring tool and are required by both R2:2008 and R2:2013. Regular internal audits will help identify areas where your operation is not in compliance with R2 requirements. The audit process frequently results in the need for corrective actions to address non-conformances. R2:2008 required an annual internal audit. R2:2013 requires regularly scheduled internal audits. An effective internal audit will cover all areas of the R2 Standard and focus on the effectiveness of your operations in meeting R2 requirements. An audit schedule and checklist that mirrors the R2 Standard is a good method for ensuring a comprehensive audit. An example of an R2:2013 audit checklist template can be downloaded here.
The key to maintaining R2 certification is constant vigilance. R2 is not a one-time achievement; it is a commitment to ongoing compliance and making continual improvement. The most successful R2 companies have integrated R2 practices into their corporate culture and conduct their operations according to the principles and requirements of the R2 Standard. This is easiest if R2 requirements are built into operational and compliance systems from the start. Companies new to R2 must make a concerted effort to understand R2 requirements and integrate them into day-to-day operations. This is best accomplished by appointing an R2 leader or coordinator who is responsible for overseeing R2 implementation. For some companies, especially smaller ones, outsourcing some or all of the R2 coordinator function may be the best solution.
Conducting Internal Audits
A corrective action is a set of steps that are to be taken to eliminate the cause of a non-compliance in order to prevent its recurrence. This is a fundamental tool for continual improvement.
Internal audits should ensure that all non-compliances are documented and assign responsibility to correct the problem with target dates for completion. This provides the framework for corrective actions. It is important to try to find the root cause of the non-compliance and not just correct the symptom.
A non-compliance can occur where there is no documented information to verify that a practice is being performed. In this case, the company may be in full compliance with the standard but lacks objective evidence to support it. Lack of objective evidence is considered a non-compliance, even if the practice is effective.
During the audit, the auditor should flag areas where the company is not in compliance with the standard. However, it is beneficial to also note instances where the company not only meets the standard but exceeds it. This can be used to the company’s advantage during the continual improvement phase. Answering the question “What are we doing right?” is just as important as determining non-compliances.
Addressing Non-Conformances and Corrective Actions
Your R2 certification depends on your procedures and frameworks working effectively constantly. Non-conformance can occur whenever a documented framework isn’t followed. This could result in the framework being viewed as inadequate or non-existent. The act of recognizing non-conformance can happen during an internal audit, a management review, or an external audit. Once a non-conformance is identified, a corrective action must be implemented. This involves addressing the issue in order to make the process or framework active and effective. The same issue analysis process used for identifying the initial gaps can be used to identify the root cause of non-conformance. Actions for preventing non-conformance and investigating the issue can be used in a cycle to ensure that similar issues don’t reoccur. Often, the preventative action is the most crucial step as without it, it is difficult to ensure that the issue won’t happen again, with corrective actions only addressing the issue temporarily. Non-conformance on a specific legal requirement may require guidance and therefore a move towards compliance on that issue. Both preventative and corrective actions should be recorded and kept for future audits.
Engaging in External Audits
External audits are a fundamental part in the process of obtaining or maintaining R2 certification. At least once per certification cycle, a company shall undergo a third-party audit. This involves the hiring of a certified auditor to come to your facilities and evaluate the conformance of your EHSMS with the R2 Standard. The auditor will evaluate your conformance with each provision and your implementation of each of the R2 practices. The audit is comprehensive, and effective preparation is the key to a successful outcome. When selecting an auditor, it is essential that you verify their certification and experience with the R2 Standard. All R2 auditors must be certified and have completed an R2 course that is approved by R2 Solutions. They must also have experience working in the area of responsible recycling, and it can be very beneficial to have an auditor that has experience with your specific type of facility. Once the audit is complete, your company will be responsible for correcting any non-conformances that were found. It is important to ensure that the corrective actions fully address the issues, are effective in their implementation, and prevent recurrence of the non-conformance in the future.
Continuous Improvement and Ongoing Compliance
The specifics of documentation updates are directly proportional to any changes within legal requirements and other obligations. If a particular provision within an R2 Code of Practices has a legal basis from a regulation or law, then the documentation shall reference the law or regulation and the date it was put into effect. Any documentation changes must be made available to affected employees and kept as document control. Periodic changes to the documentation must show that provision and its intended purpose are being fulfilled through its operational controls and that it is adding further prevention of negative impacts on the environment, worker health and safety.
The requirements for continuous improvement and ongoing compliance encompass all of the provisions within the R2 Code of Practices for each element. This means that a company must continually update their EH&S management system documentation which includes policy commitment, HSE Manual, identifying aspects and impacts, legal requirements, objectives and targets, operational controls and emergency preparedness. This includes periodic training of employees concerning legal changes and company policy changes. Any changes in laws or regulations must be communicated to the affected employees and implemented into the management system. Periodic objective evidence is required to demonstrate that a company’s management system and provision in practice is in conformance with the R2 Code of Practices. This can be accomplished through internal audits or other objective evidence such as inspection of monitoring data or reports.
R2 principles require an organization to continually improve its processes and activities designed to protect worker health and safety, the environment, and the safety of the community. This expectation to progressively improve over time is integral to the way that companies attain and maintain R2 Certification. R2:2013 requires an organization to conduct an initial Gap Analysis and subsequent Risk Assessment in order to identify compliance obligations that are applicable to its processes and responsible management practices. This creates a precedent for continuous improvement as the organization works to progressively enhance its EH&S management system and ensure that it is in conformance with legal requirements and other obligations. r2 certified company Organizations must regularly evaluate their performance and implement necessary changes. This ensures that they are consistently meeting the R2 Certification requirements and are taking proactive measures to address any areas where improvement is needed.