Being R2v3 certified means that a company reusing, repairing, or recycling electronic devices complies with the highest standards in data security, workplace safety, legal compliance, and environmental protection. In other words, it’s not enough to just say “we recycle properly.” This certification ensures independent audits, traceability of materials, strict safety processes, and accountability across the board. At eSmart Recycling, we hold this certification, which enables us to ensure that our work with electronic devices is responsible, transparent, and secure.
R2v3 is version 3 of the Responsible Recycling (R2) standard, managed by Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI).
It was developed as a response to growing challenges in electronics recycling, including increasing e-waste volumes, risks of data leaks, unsafe working conditions, and the need for accountability throughout the entire recycling chain, including downstream vendors (those who receive materials for further processing).
To achieve R2v3, a company must meet “core requirements” (which apply to every certified facility) and “process requirements” that depend on specific activities such as repair, data destruction, or materials recovery.
Some of the most important requirements include:
For businesses outsourcing e-waste management, choosing an R2v3 certified partner brings clear benefits:
At eSmart Recycling, we have obtained the R2v3 certification. That means:
For you, as a business considering our services, this means that by working with us:
Is R2v3 mandatory? No, it’s voluntary. However, many corporations, government agencies, and large enterprises require it.
Does it apply to all electronics? Yes, it covers a wide range of devices: computers, mobile phones, telecom equipment, specialized medical devices, and more. There are appendices for specialized equipment.
Is certification for the whole company or per facility? It applies per facility. Each location must meet the requirements relevant to its activities—whether repair, data destruction, or materials recovery.
Being R2v3 certified is no longer just a “nice to have”; it’s a clear sign of real responsibility. If your company is considering where to send e-waste, working with an R2v3 recycler means doing the right thing—securely, transparently, and with documented practices that protect your business, the environment, and communities.
Fill out the form below to request your electronics recycling pickup.
We’ll coordinate the schedule logistics and follow up with next steps.
World Sustainability Day takes place on the last Wednesday of October, and in 2025, it feels more urgent than ever. It’s not just another awareness day — it’s a moment to pause, reflect, and act on what sustainability really means.
The signs are everywhere. In April 2025, the global average temperature rose 1.22°C above pre-industrial levels. Longer droughts, stronger storms, disappearing ecosystems — all of it is happening now.
At the same time, pressure on companies keeps growing. More states across the U.S. are making environmental reporting mandatory, demanding measurable actions and not just promises. Yet, some corporations have pulled back from publishing voluntary sustainability reports, even as public expectations for transparency are higher than ever.
That’s why this year, more than ever, it’s time to make noise with purpose.
Around 88% of consumers stay loyal to brands that stand for environmental or social causes. Using this day to communicate authentically builds connection — no corporate scripts, no fluff.
It’s not about promises. It’s about proof. Sharing both achievements and challenges earns respect. The best companies don’t just announce—they invite people to be part of the change.
Real change starts inside. A short talk, a “green audit,” or a small sustainability challenge can spark interest across teams and departments.
World Sustainability Day brings together NGOs, governments, and private companies. It’s a chance to build partnerships that go beyond a single event.
At eSmart Recycling, we live this every day. Collecting, refurbishing, and donating technology is how we contribute — helping protect the planet while bringing digital access to communities that need it most.
The time for speeches is over. What we do today matters.
This October 29, let’s make World Sustainability Day 2025 a day for real action, not just nice posts.
An old router may look like just another gadget collecting dust. But when recycled properly, it becomes a key piece in tackling environmental, social, and security challenges that affect us all. Both companies and households can play a part, starting with this device that often ends up forgotten in a drawer.
Every year, the world produces mountains of electronic waste. In 2022, the figure surpassed 62 million metric tons, and only about 22% was formally collected for recycling.
Routers, as small telecom devices, often slip through statistics and end up unmanaged. Giving them a proper end-of-life process keeps them out of informal dumps, where they contaminate for decades.
Producing a new router requires mining, energy-intensive manufacturing, transportation, and packaging. A McKinsey analysis shows that refurbishing broadband routers can cut emissions by 82% compared to making a new one.
For a company, recycling dozens of units means preventing tons of CO₂. For an individual, handing over just one device still avoids unnecessary duplication of resources.
Routers contain plastics, metals, flame retardants, and circuits with heavy metals. If dumped in landfills, they can leach into soil and water. When burned in informal processes, toxic gases directly affect nearby communities.
Certified recycling prevents this, ensuring hazardous components are isolated and treated under strict environmental standards.
Inside a router, there’s copper, aluminum, plastics, and small traces of precious metals. According to the UN, e-waste contains millions of tons of valuable resources that could be brought back into industry rather than extracted from new mines.
One router may feel minor, but thousands add up to sustained access to critical supply chains and less pressure on fragile ecosystems.
Even if boxed away, an old router may still store credentials, network settings, and logs. In the wrong hands, it’s an entry point to sensitive information.
For companies, this ties directly to compliance with regulations such as HIPAA. For households, it simply means keeping your home network safe. At eSmart Recycling, we make sure all devices are wiped or destroyed securely so no data is left behind.
Responsible recycling also fuels social initiatives. At eSmart Recycling, part of the equipment we collect is refurbished and donated to schools and nonprofits. A router that seemed obsolete can become a lifeline to online education for kids and families.
It also creates jobs in repair, logistics, and IT, while reducing the cost of managing uncontrolled e-waste at the community level.
Whether in a corporate office or at home, concrete steps with small devices like routers help reduce waste, cut emissions, protect privacy, and expand access to technology. At eSmart Recycling, we make sure that the process is handled safely and transparently.
In the next five years, we’ll see decisive changes in how companies, regulators, and consumers manage electronic waste. Cleaner technologies, stricter regulations, local supply chains, and stronger accountability from manufacturers are already on the horizon. Here’s what you need to know today to be ready for 2025–2030.
One of the biggest challenges is recovering rare earths, magnesium, and cobalt—many of which are lost because current processes are expensive or inefficient. Researchers at ETH Zurich have developed methods to extract elements like europium from fluorescent lamps more efficiently, with potential for large-scale use.
Apple also announced a partnership with MP Materials to recycle rare earth magnets in the U.S., with its Mountain Pass, California, facility expected to be fully operational by 2027.
Electric vehicle (EV) batteries that can no longer power cars often still have good capacity for stationary energy storage. Redwood Materials, for instance, is using old EV batteries to power data centers and storage systems.
This trend will reduce pressure on new mining and open dual business models: first mobility, then storage.
More U.S. states are expected to adopt laws requiring manufacturers to cover part of the cost of collection, recycling, and even design for recyclability. Signals of this shift are already showing in recent industry reports.
This will push companies toward modular design, safer materials, and recyclable packaging.
Recycling plants are adopting AI to improve material separation—using visual recognition and deep learning to distinguish plastics, metals, and electronic components. Companies like TOMRA are already deploying these systems.
Real-time monitoring with sensors and cameras will boost efficiency reports, material traceability, and transparency for regulators and partners.
The U.S. e-waste management market is projected to reach about USD 16.0 billion by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of ~14.9% through 2034.
Globally, the electronics recycling market is expected to grow from ~USD 43.2 billion in 2025 to ~USD 147.9 billion in 2035, with a CAGR of ~13.1%.
But a large share of e-waste still never enters formal recycling: in 2022, only ~22% was properly recycled, and this rate may drop to ~20% by 2030 if nothing changes.
What’s clear is that tech recycling isn’t standing still. In the next five years, those who move quickly will gain a competitive edge, smoother compliance, a stronger reputation, and lower risks.
When a remote control stops working, the same thing usually happens: we buy another one from the same brand or grab a universal remote to fix the problem quickly. And the old one? It ends up in a drawer, forgotten with other devices we no longer use.
That small, everyday habit may seem harmless, but it hides a bigger issue. Every remote contains electronics, plastics, and batteries that should never end up in the trash. Disposed of the wrong way, they pollute. Recycled or refurbished, they can still be useful and prevent more resources from being wasted.
Every year, millions of tons of electronic waste (e-waste) are generated worldwide. In 2022, the world produced 62 million tons of e-waste, and only about 22% was formally collected and recycled.
Remote controls contain plastics, printed circuit boards, metals, and small batteries. When they end up in landfills, those batteries can leak toxic chemicals like lead, mercury, or cadmium, contaminating soil and water.
If the remote still works, it can be donated to schools, community centers, or electronics reuse programs. A simple gesture that extends the life of a device and helps people who don’t have easy access to technology.
Some stores accept remotes for recycling. For example, Best Buy includes “remote controls” in the list of electronics it collects.. On top of that, several U.S. states prohibit throwing electronics in regular trash.
Some brands already reuse components to make new remotes. Elisa Viihde reuses parts from returned remotes, and over 70% of its premium remotes include repurposed materials.
LG Chem manufactures remotes with post-consumer recycled plastics, reducing CO₂ emissions.
UEI (Universal Electronics Inc.) also uses recycled plastics and designs its devices to last longer.
| Question | Answer |
| What if the remote is broken? | Remove the batteries and take it to an e-waste collection site. Don’t throw it in regular trash. |
| Does recycling something so small really matter? | Yes. Multiply one remote by millions of households and you’ll see why it matters. Every recycled piece saves raw materials and prevents contamination. |
| Does it cost money to recycle? | Sometimes, but many stores and extended producer responsibility programs cover it, especially when you recycle along with other devices. |
At eSmart Recycling, we take care of the whole process: collecting electronics, auditing, securely destroying data, repairing, and donating devices. About 30% of our revenue goes directly into refurbishing and donating equipment to children and families.
A remote control may seem small, but it counts. If you keep it, donate it, or recycle it with us, you help reduce waste, save resources, and support communities.
Being R2v3 certified means that a company reusing, repairing, or recycling electronic devices complies with the highest standards in data security, workplace safety, legal compliance, and environmental protection. In other words, it’s not enough to just say “we recycle properly.” This certification ensures independent audits, traceability of materials, strict safety processes, and accountability across the board. At eSmart Recycling, we hold this certification, which enables us to ensure that our work with electronic devices is responsible, transparent, and secure.
R2v3 is version 3 of the Responsible Recycling (R2) standard, managed by Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI).
It was developed as a response to growing challenges in electronics recycling, including increasing e-waste volumes, risks of data leaks, unsafe working conditions, and the need for accountability throughout the entire recycling chain, including downstream vendors (those who receive materials for further processing).
To achieve R2v3, a company must meet “core requirements” (which apply to every certified facility) and “process requirements” that depend on specific activities such as repair, data destruction, or materials recovery.
Some of the most important requirements include:
For businesses outsourcing e-waste management, choosing an R2v3 certified partner brings clear benefits:
At eSmart Recycling, we have obtained the R2v3 certification. That means:
For you, as a business considering our services, this means that by working with us:
Is R2v3 mandatory? No, it’s voluntary. However, many corporations, government agencies, and large enterprises require it.
Does it apply to all electronics? Yes, it covers a wide range of devices: computers, mobile phones, telecom equipment, specialized medical devices, and more. There are appendices for specialized equipment.
Is certification for the whole company or per facility? It applies per facility. Each location must meet the requirements relevant to its activities—whether repair, data destruction, or materials recovery.
Being R2v3 certified is no longer just a “nice to have”; it’s a clear sign of real responsibility. If your company is considering where to send e-waste, working with an R2v3 recycler means doing the right thing—securely, transparently, and with documented practices that protect your business, the environment, and communities.
Reducing electronic waste (e-waste) in your office is not only environmentally responsible, but it also improves your company’s reputation, reduces security risks, and can even save money. Here’s how to get there with clear steps, examples, and real data.
A zero e-waste office is one that:
Make a full inventory: desktops, laptops, printers, routers, batteries, cables, old phones, and more. Include inactive or stored devices.
At eSmart Recycling, we help companies carry out this audit, identifying which devices can be reused and which require recycling.
Every year, we give thousands of devices a second life. Some are refurbished for someone else to use, while others are responsibly recycled.
If a device still works, its best destination is reuse. At eSmart Recycling, about 30% of the revenue from collections is invested in repairing and donating devices. Thanks to this, we’ve already delivered over 3,000 computers to children and families in communities with limited access to technology, benefiting more than 12,000 people.
A zero e-waste office also depends on its people. We help companies train their teams so they know how to handle unused equipment and where to deposit it.
We issue certificates of destruction and environmental/social reports for companies that work with us. This way, every partner can show measurable results and include them in sustainability reporting.
After more than a decade, we’ve seen that most offices accumulate devices that sit unused for years. When companies recycle with us, they not only free up space but also help more people gain access to computers and digital education.
Turning your office into a zero e-waste sanctuary is not just an ideal; it’s achievable and comes with real benefits. The key is taking concrete steps: auditing, extending use, donating, recycling properly, and educating your team. At eSmart Recycling, we’re ready to support your company in making this happen.
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