MRM, a leading provider of e-waste recycling management services to manufacturers, announced it will begin creating a national recycling infrastructure that manufacturers can utilize to provide convenient recycling opportunities for their customers.
Panasonic Corporation of North America, Sharp Electronics Corporation and Toshiba America Consumer Products, LLC, will be the first companies to utilize this expanded recycling service to operate their individual manufacturer recycling programs.
This new initiative will enable MRM to expand its operations beyond its current compliance management activities in Minnesota and Texas. Now entering its second year of operations, MRM has successfully implemented and currently manages recycling services in these two states for some 25 individual electronics manufacturers.
The first phase of the MRM nationwide ramp-up will kick off in November with management of electronics recycling for manufacturers in several additional states, including California, Connecticut, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. MRM will continue its expansion until its services cover all 50 states. Additional details on MRM’s plans will be available in January 2009.
"MRM is focused on enhancing the sustainability of individual company brands and product offerings through convenient, environmentally sound and efficient recycling," said MRM President David Thompson. "This type of collaborative effort is essential to providing consumers with convenient recycling opportunities and to achieving practical, long-term solutions."
"The power of MRM’s platform is its capacity to help the electronics industry move beyond individual company programs that focus on only a single company brand, often at separate, widely dispersed and costly collection locations, to make use of a common efficient system," said Tricia Conroy, MRM’s Executive Director. "Our consolidation and management services make electronics recycling more convenient and accessible for both consumers and manufacturers."
MRM is open to support the programs of all manufacturers, and already works with governments, retailers, non-profits and private waste management companies to offer consumers convenience, while minimizing the environmental burden associated with driving long distances to drop off electronic products for recycling.
Building on its commitment to responsible recycling, MRM, in this first phase of its expansion, will utilize the services of two leading recyclers- CRT-Processing, based in Janesville, Wisconsin, and ECO-International, headquartered in Vestal, New York. With these recyclers and their collection infrastructure, the MRM network will encompass over 160 collection sites and several other collection partners across 10 states. A list of participating sites will be available by November 1 at www.MRMrecycling.com.
"MRM looks forward to working with recycling stakeholders and electronic manufacturers themselves to make our expanded services a success," said Ms. Conroy.
About MRM
Established as a joint venture by Panasonic Corporation of North America, Sharp Electronics Corporation and Toshiba America Consumer Products, LLC, Electronic Manufacturers Recycling Management Company, LLC (MRM) will develop and operate a national take-back and recycling program that is open to all manufacturers. The joint venture company has been set up to serve the needs of electronics manufacturers who will be responsible for take-back of products under new electronic waste recycling laws, as well as the needs of consumers for convenient access to electronic recycling opportunities.