Scrap Metal Recyclers Test Cloud Recycling Initiatives

SEATTLE (Waste 360): The rapid pace of technological change is creating a new market for scrap metal recyclers as investment in cloud infrastructure continues to surge and the market for data center equipment is expected to grow.

In a recent report about the emergence of cloud recycling, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) points out that cloud servers typically have a lifespan of just three years, and data center equipment contains components such as processors and fans that can be stripped out and resold in the electronics market, thus diverting valuable materials like aluminum, copper and steel from landfill.

According to WSJ, companies like Sims Metal Management and Electronic Recyclers International (ERI) are involved in separate trial projects to handle the recycling of small amounts of cloud-computing material in the U.S. Those pilots come on the heels of scrap metal companies seeking to strengthen profits that have been hit by trade barriers and weak commodity prices.

Courtesy: https://www.waste360.com