Contact Center Solutions Industry News

TMCNet: Gov't eyes system to recycle valuable metals from electronics

[August 22, 2011]

Gov't eyes system to recycle valuable metals from electronics

(Japan Economic Newswire Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) TOKYO, Aug. 22 -- (Kyodo) _ The government plans to create a system to recycle precious and rare metals used in electronic devices such as cellphones and digital cameras, the Environment Ministry said Monday.

The ministry eyes 45 electronic devices, recycling of which is likely to prove profitable as they contain substantial quantities of such metals, it said. The devices include car navigation systems and video game consoles.

Cellphones, for example, contain precious and rare metals worth a combined 1,700 yen per kilogram. If all used cellphones in Japan were recycled, the value of the precious and rare metals recovered would amount to 9.6 billion yen a year, the ministry estimates.

The ministry presented an outline of the envisioned system to the Central Environment Council, an advisory council to the environment minister, to hear the opinions of its panelists, the ministry said.

The recycling of valuable metals in electronic devices has been given added impetus following a number of cases in which valuable metals were discarded in landfills as industrial waste.

The proposed measures call for refraining from charging consumers for recycling costs, it said.

The ministry will task a subcommittee of the council with putting forward proposals on collection methods for the metals and on what electronic items should be subject to the new recycling regime, the ministry said.

The ministry plans to submit a relevant bill to the regular session of the Diet convening early next year after examining the subcommittee's proposals, they said.

The ministry envisions that the legislation will cover precious metals such as gold and silver as well as some rare metals for which efficient recycling technologies exist, it added.

(c) 2011 Kyodo News International, Inc.

[ Back To Contact Center Solutions Homepage's Homepage ]


Related Contact Center Solutions Articles
[ View all Contact Center Solutions Articles ]

Socialize with us

FREE Contact Center Solutions eNewsletter

Click here to receive your targeted Contact Center Solutions Community eNewsletter.[Subscribe Now]

Industry News

Featured Resources

Contact Center Solutions Glossary of Terms

Press Releases

About the Contact Center Solutions Community

    Welcome to the Contact Center Solutions Community The Contact Center Solutions Global Online Community, Sponsored by Interactive Intelligence, is designed to serve as the industry's premier resource for information and research on Contact Center Solutions technology and deployment strategies.