ECS REFINERY

Recycling at ECS

Within the past two decades the world has experienced an incredible growth of the use of electronics. The capabilities of technology can be fun and exciting, but there are draw backs to this vast expansion, however. As new devices are introduced to consumers’ homes daily, old devices are left without a place or necessity. Unsure what to do with their electronic waste, or e-waste, consumers tend to do one of two things:

1)Trash it.

 This seems like the obvious answer, right? Wrong. True it may be the easiest and quickest, but it is also the worst. Besides the fact that e-waste is non biodegradable, throwing it in a landfill can be extremely dangerous to the environment because of the hazardous materials and chemicals that within electronics. These toxins, combined with natural conditions like rain, wind, or fire become even more harmful.

2) Pack it.

A good number of people actually fear throwing away their e-waste, as if they know intrinsically it is wrong to do. Because they are afraid they decide to store old electronics in a back closet or extra room, piling up junk in their homes. These people are right to be hesitant about trashing their old electronics, but this is still not the best option.  While it does no harm to the environment, it also does no good. Even though it is not made into waste, it is wasted.

So what IS the best option?

3) Recycle it.

That’s right! Don’t put it in the trash or in a closet, send it to a responsible recycler.

We Recycle

Since the pollution caused by e-waste is just recently being recognized, little legislation has been put in place to control the problem. The laws that have been implemented on this topic vary from state to state, city to city, company to company. They are predominantly vague and conservative, and because of these inconsistencies a space has created for different, less complete, interpretations to arise of what it means to “recycle” e-waste.

 At ECS Refining and our sister company United Datatech, we adhere to a strict interpretation of what it means to recycle and reuse 100% of electronic materials we receive.

Where It Begins

Computer parts do not make their way to ESC Refining until they have reached the end of their life span and their only remaining value in their materials. We collect electronic scraps which may consist of printed circuit boards, computer peripherals, integrated circuits, electronics manufacturing and testing, obsolete and wasted computers. Before these e-scraps make it to our refinery they start in the hands of consumers like you who bring them to companies that collect electronic recycables. These companies then restore the computers and electronics that have the potential to be reusable then pass the excess e-waste materials, or e-scraps, to other recycling agents. Our company ECS Refinery is the “other” company named that completes the recycling process. In our recycling process we make sure that all waste is broken down, separated correctly, and then furnished back into a usable form.

The Process

Our work begins, when the e-scrap is first received then sent to our warehouse. In the warehouse the materials are manually sorted through to salvage anything that may be reusable. This job is done by workers who perform tests, wipe date, refurbish, and dismantle scraps for peripheral and component recovery.

 From the warehouse, the dismantled materials then get sent to the shredder.

The shredder is a machine that mechanically breaks up the glass, metals, and plastics. A magnet then separates the ferrous, or iron containing, metals from the other materials.

When separated, these metals are then sent to different furnaces to be melted down and treated. The non-ferrous materials are transported by conveyors to other areas to be further separated and recycled. Plastics to plastics, glass to glass, paper to paper, and the precious metals are sent to the secondary smelters for sampling before being sent to primary smelters. 

Thus by the end of the process, all materials are reused again. The e-waste comes to our refinery, it is sorted, shredded, and separated into groups of plastic, paper, glass, ferrous and non-ferrous metals.  Then once divided the materials go through their separate processes to be recycled.

Now It’s Your Turn

Even though you may not directly work with our company, you can still play a role in protecting our environment. Here are three points to remember:

• DO NOT throw your e-waste in the garbage

• DO NOT let the excess non-working electronics in your home just sit and waste

• DO find an approved recycler and responsibly dispose of your e-waste

CONTACT US:

705 Reed Street

Santa Clara, California  95050