APPROACH:
Outerwall Inc., a leader in automated retail, acquired ecoATM, Inc. to further its leadership in automated retail. Using the company's vast heritage and expertise in kiosk solutions and automated retail environments, Outerwall is helping scale ecoATM into a successful business that will produce profit while also addressing the e-waste problem with a market-based approach that makes recycling as easy as possible for consumers and offers a financial incentive for them to recycle their devices. ecoATM's business model aligns with Outerwall's approach to corporate responsibility and specifically addresses the cell phone and small electronic device e-waste stream. The company's mission is to inspire mass consumer participation in e-waste recycling by providing a convenient, safe and secure place for people to responsibly recycle their used and broken portable electronics. This includes cell phones, tablets, and MP3 players. Collecting phones for recycling and reuse is at the heart of exactly what ecoATM does - it's the company's business model and brand value. Its kiosks collect devices and accessories from consumers - including items such as charging cords and cases. ecoATM is committed to responsibly recycling not only electronic devices but also accessories, thereby reducing the risk of these items going into landfills. This commitment will be implemented through ecoATM's business model, which is responsibly recycling devices through its kiosks located throughout the United States.
ACTION PLAN:
ecoATM, Inc. will achieve this commitment by placing ecoATM consumer electronic recycling kiosks throughout the US, that are estimated to collect 2 million pounds of e-waste over three years. By expanding the number of kiosks placed throughout the length of the commitment, ecoATM will be able to scale its operations and increase the number of devices collected for recycling and reuse.
Electronic equipment and gadgets are the fastest growing waste stream in many countries (EPA, 2012). For many individuals, electronics are part of modern life - cell phones, laptops, TVs and a growing number of gadgets as examples. In 2012, global sales of mobile phones reached 1.75 billion mobile phones (Gartner). All of these electronics become obsolete or unwanted, often within 1- 3 years of purchase. Less than 20 percent of unwanted cell phones are recycled each year (EPA, 2012). The problem this poses for the environment is that the majority of consumer electronics contain toxic materials, such as arsenic, plastic and a variety of other materials that pose an extreme threat to the environment and human health. As further proof, a study by the Ecology Center of Ann Arbor, Michigan and ifixit.com dissected 36 different cell phones and found that every one of them contained at least one of following toxic elements: lead, bromine, chlorine, mercury or cadmium.
The first and best thing that can be done is extending the life of existing devices so that there is a lesser need to build new devices. The next best thing that can be done is responsibly reclaiming materials from devices that are truly end-of-life. Reuse and recycling of devices not only helps reduce landfill waste, but also results in avoided greenhouse gas emissions, mainly those that would come from the production of new devices. Plastics - in devices themselves as well as in accessories - are an additional aspect of e-waste that is rarely addressed. Plastic debris, laced with chemicals and often ingested by marine animals, can injure or poison wildlife. Floating plastic waste, which can survive for thousands of years in water, serves as mini transportation devices for invasive species, disrupting habitats. Finally, plastic buried in landfills can leach harmful chemicals that spread into groundwater (ewasteguide.info).
SEEKING:
ecoATM seeks retail partners and other high-traffic locations willing to place an ecoATM kiosk for consumers to recycle and sell back device for reuse.
OFFERING:
Outerwall is open to sharing lessons learned with other organizations who are interested in leveraging automated kiosk solutions to address social or environmental challenges.
