How FedEx is Fighting Electronic Waste in Southeast US
FedEx Supply Chain’s wider operations, which process more than 475 million returns annually across various sectors, provide a strong basis for these sustainability initiatives.
SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): FedEx has initiated a new collection pilot programme aimed at improving circularity for electronic waste.
The pilot, operating from its supply chain facility near Nashville, Tennessee, has helped create a framework for sustained e-waste collection across Middle Tennessee and the broader southeast US, highlighting a commitment to addressing a critical sustainability issue.
The initiative, a collaboration between FedEx Supply Chain and Pyxera Global with support from FedEx Cares, explores how logistics providers can contribute to 'closing the loop' for electronic materials.
This is a major challenge, as many of these materials are frequently destined for landfill.
The project’s goal is to establish a functional and scalable model for capturing and repurposing valuable components from discarded electronics.
The growing e-waste problem
The scale of the e-waste problem is substantial.
According to the 2022 Global E-Waste Monitor, 63.4 million tonnes of electronic waste were generated globally, with only 22.3% of this material being collected and recycled.
Discarded items such as laptops, mobile phones, tablets and servers contain critical minerals.
These minerals are in high demand for manufacturing new products and must be extracted through mining if they are not recovered from recycled sources, a process with its own environmental impacts.
The pilot programme addresses this issue by creating a reverse logistics channel to reclaim these materials.
By focusing on reuse, repair and responsible recycling, the project provides a potential pathway to reduce reliance on virgin materials and mitigate the environmental damage associated with electronic waste.
A recognised circular logistics model
The success of the FedEx programme is recognised by the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, which has presented the pilot with its 2025 Leadership Award in the Circular Economy category.
The council notes how FedEx, Pyxera Global and their partners have piloted a circular logistics approach that results in clear recommendations for future efforts in the sector.
'This recognition by the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council demonstrates how circular logistics is more than just a business strategy, it's an innovative way supply chains can help conserve valuable resources, strengthen local enterprises and build a more sustainable future.
Expanding critical mineral recovery efforts
Building on the pilot's foundation, Pyxera Global has launched the Circular Supply Chain Coalition (CSCC).
This new body aims to recover and reuse critical minerals from e-waste in key regions across the US. FedEx Cares has provided additional funding to develop place-based demonstration hubs in the Southeast and Rocky Mountains.
This investment supports the development of a global network dedicated to reducing electronic waste and promoting remanufacturing.
'We could not be more thrilled that FedEx has received the recognition they deserve for supporting such an impactful and meaningful project,' says John Holm, SVP Partnerships at Pyxera Global and the lead convener of the CSCC.
'The Circular Supply Chain Coalition's mission is to support and scale local critical mineral procurement and remanufacturing across North America and beyond and SPLC's validation of our work provides us the necessary momentum to be the go-to resource for local critical mineral procurement.'
FedEx Supply Chain’s wider operations, which process more than 475 million returns annually across various sectors, provide a strong basis for these sustainability initiatives.
FedEx Supply Chain operates around 300 facilities and maintains a 98.62% landfill diversion rate, indicating its existing recycling programme is already helping customers improve waste diversion and lower their carbon footprints.
'SPLC is delighted to acknowledge FedEx and its continued leadership in the field of sustainable procurement,' says Marc Heisterkamp, CEO at SPLC.
'Reverse logistics is an increasingly important part of the procurement life cycle.
'This successful demonstration by FedEx and its collaborators creates a clear playbook for the scaling of similar e-waste collection and recycling projects beyond middle Tennessee.'
Courtesy: www.sustainabilitymag.com