A new alliance has been formed between the Recycling Industry Operating Standard (RIOS), which is managed by the Global Recycling Standards Organization (GRSO) and the R2 Certification program, developed by Sustainable Electronics Recycling International (SERI). The two organisations have joined forces with the aim of further supporting their shared vision for responsible reuse and recycling of electronics.
Within the alliance, the organisations will work more closely together to improve training and education programs, streamline the certification process for companies seeking both R2 and RIOS certification, lower the overall cost of certification, and continue to support the responsible recycling, reuse, and repair of electronics and electronic scrap.
“Our goal is to raise the level of performance across the electronics recycling, refurbishing, and repair markets, while lowering the overall cost of certification, and making it possible for all companies to participate,” said RIOS Executive Director Darrell Kendall.
RIOS is the recycling industry’s integrated management system standard for quality, environment and health & safety. It can be adopted by recyclers of all commodities in any country in the world.
SERI is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the responsible reuse, repair, and recycling of electronic products, whose primary activity is the development and oversight of the R2 certification programme. R2 stands for Responsible Recycling and is a standard specifically created for the electronics recycling. R2 Certification is international, and the standards and guidance are currently available in five languages.
All companies that are pursuing or are currently certified to R2 will receive the Association Alliance membership rate, which is 50 percent of the normal membership rate. This membership will include the RIOS Implementation Guide, access to all RIOS training programs, as well as all of the other membership benefits of RIOS.
Additionally, GRSO and SERI will collaborate to develop Quality, Environment, Health and Safety management system training that is specific to those companies seeking R2 certification.
The RIOS standard will also now be freely available to anyone without charge, regardless of their R2 affiliation. Finally, RIOS and R2 staff and leadership will collaborate to find ways to streamline the audit experience for companies seeking R2 and RIOS certification.
“Every electronics recycling standard is built on a strong quality, environmental, health and safety management system,” said Corey Dehmey, SERI’s Executive Director. “I see great opportunities for R2 Certified recyclers when R2 and RIOS work together to support recyclers in achieving the management system requirements of R2.”