U.S> EPA News Release:

EPA Recognizes Electronics Industry Leaders, including Three Southern California Companies, for Diverting 176,494 Tons of Products from Landfills

Industry Efforts Reduce Environmental Impacts Nationwide, Help Address Climate Change

CALIFORNIA — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing the 2020 winners of the Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) Electronics Challenge Awards. The SMM Challenge encourages electronics manufacturers, brand owners, and retailers to send 100 percent of the used electronics they collect to third-party certified electronics refurbishers and recyclers. The 2020 award winners, which include Sony Electronics, Inc. of San Diego, TCL North America in Corona, and VIZIO, Inc of Irvine, reused or recycled 176,494 tons of electronics and avoided the equivalent of nearly 500,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions. TCL North America is also recognized with a Special Award for Sustainability Practices During a Pandemic for hosting free electronics collection events to ensure proper recycling and reuse during the pandemic.

“We’re happy to recognize the Electronics Challenge award winners as industry leaders in reducing their environmental impact and reducing waste” said EPA Pacific Southwest Land Chemicals, and Redevelopment Division Director Jeff Scott. “Their leadership and public commitment to responsible recycling, especially during challenging times, demonstrates that environmental improvement can go hand-in-hand with technological innovation.”

The use of electronic products has grown exponentially over the past two decades, changing the way people communicate and more recently, how they stay in touch during the pandemic. Reusing and recycling throughout the life cycle of electronics reduces environmental impacts, including those from climate change, while also creating green jobs.

Since 2012, EPA has been recognizing leading electronics manufacturers, brand owners, and retailers for their significant contributions in electronics sustainability as part of the SMM Electronics Challenge.

For more information on the 2020 SMM Electronics Challenge award winners, including Champion award winners and Special award winners: https://www.epa.gov/smm-electronics/sustainable-materials-management-smm-electronics-challenge-recognition-and-awards

For more information on EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management of electronics program:
http://www.epa.gov/smm-electronics

For information on where consumers can donate or recycle electronics:
http://www.epa.gov/recycle/electronics-donation-and-recycling

For information about EPA’s National Recycling Goal: https://www.epa.gov/americarecycles/us-national-recycling-goal

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