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THE I SR I SCRAP YEARBOOK
2016
INSTITUTE OF SCRAP RECYCLING INDUSTRIES, INC.
54
Flow of Used Electronic Products (UEPs)
In February 2013, the U.S. International Trade Commission
(USITC) released its study on
Used Electronic Products:
An Examination of U.S. Exports
, the most comprehensive
report on the collection and export of UEPs that found
more than 80 percent of the UEPs collected in the U.S. were
recycled, reused or refurbished domestically while only 17
percent of UEPs were being sent for export. A subsequent
report released by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
(MIT) Materials Systems Laboratory and the U.S. National
Center for Electronics Recycling (NCER) in 2013 indicates
that more than 90 percent of used electronics collected for
recycling within the U.S. remain in the U.S. for processing and
are not exported. Taken together, the USITC and MIT/NCER
studies provide irrefutable evidence that used electronics
products are being reused and recycled in America, not
“dumped” into developing countries as proponents of export
controls have argued for years.
Collected UEPs
4.4 million tons
Domestic
Refurbishment &
Recycling
3.64 million tons
• Tested &Working UEPs
(47,098 tons)
• Working UEPs
(58,021 tons)
• Commodity Grade
(323,772 tons)
• Other
(includes exports destined for redistribution,
repair & recycling through channels such as warrenty
programs & tracked distribution networks)
102,295 tons
THE“SLIVER”
• Final Disposal
(5,768 tons)
• Recycling/disposal at Export Destination
(84,941 tons)
• Unknown
135,826 tons
82.7%
12.1%
5.1%
Export
0.76 million tons
Source: U.S. Census Bureau/U.S. International Trade Commission, ISRI