In 2012, Chicago’s Railroad Retirement Board found new life for 3,200 pounds of electronics through reuse and recycling; the effort lifted waste diversion nearly 10%

More than 3,200 pounds of electronic waste was recycled by the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board headquarters in Chicago in one year. The agency achieved a nearly 10% increase over its previous baseline by finding additional ways to recycle or reuse equipment through property management and the Computers for Learning program.

The effort combined donations, certified electronics recycling and the reuse of mobile devices, while also creating procedures to address data security and storage challenges, as per U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Federal Green Challenge, “Case Study: Electronic Waste Recycling Increases Waste Diversion.”

How did the electronics recycling program work?

The Railroad Retirement Board’s electronic waste reuse and recycling program was driven by two federal programs.


RRB began donating excess computers in 1997 after the enactment of Executive Order 12999, Computers for Learning. The program created a registry of schools needing computer equipment and made the disposition process more efficient.

That efficiency was particularly useful for RRB because it is a small, independent agency with minimal staff. Since 1997, the agency has donated all surplus desktop equipment in good condition through the Computers for Learning program.

The response from schools also encouraged the agency to continue the effort. Schools receiving the equipment expressed their gratitude, which boosted staff morale and provided an incentive to keep improving the initiative.

Equipment that could not be donated was handled through other recycling options.

Most other electronics, including televisions, computer servers and networking equipment, were sent to a certified electronics recycler. Using certified recyclers allowed RRB to consider environmental, worker health and security practices when selecting a recycling partner.

RRB first collects electronic equipment and follows property management procedures that can identify other agencies able to reuse it. Equipment is then packaged for shipment, while cost proposals from electronics recyclers are obtained to find the most economical option.

Reusable mobile devices followed another route. RRB sends those devices back to its telecommunications provider and receives credit on its bill.

How did RRB track the waste?

The agency tracked disposition results through GSAXCESS and the Computers for Learning website.

Electronic recycling data was uploaded so agency personnel could track and download information and create reports required by RRB.

This tracking system helped the agency keep records of how equipment was handled and supported its broader electronics recycling activities.

The results were significant. In one year, the Chicago headquarters recycled more than 3,200 pounds of electronic waste, nearly 10% more than its baseline from the previous year.

What challenges did the agency face?

The program was successful, but it also came with practical challenges.

One major concern was making sure data was consistently and completely removed from equipment hard drives. RRB’s property management group worked with IT departments to establish processes and procedures designed to meet security requirements before electronic equipment was placed in surplus storage for recycling.

Storage space presented another problem. Equipment sometimes needed to be housed temporarily before it could be recycled or transferred.

To make better use of the available space, mobile and utility racks were adapted to take advantage of vertical storage. The arrangement also made it easier to move equipment efficiently when it was retrieved by the receiving party.

Disposition requirements could also change over time. To stay informed about new requirements, electronics recycling trends, tools and resources, RRB property staff attended property management and disposition training offered by GSA.

The agency’s experience formed part of the Federal Green Challenge, an initiative within EPA’s Sustainable Materials Management Program designed to encourage federal agencies to reduce their environmental impact and lead by example.

In 2012, nearly 300 federal agencies representing more than 500,000 employees participated in the Federal Green Challenge. Their combined efforts resulted in estimated cost savings of more than $31 million for U.S. taxpayers.

For the Railroad Retirement Board, the approach was straightforward: identify equipment that could be reused, donate suitable computers, recycle other electronics through certified recyclers and return reusable mobile devices to the telecommunications provider.

Together, those steps helped the Chicago headquarters divert more electronic waste while giving usable equipment additional value and reducing the amount requiring disposal.

FAQs

How much e-waste did RRB recycle?
More than 3,200 pounds in one year.

How did RRB reuse computers?
Good-condition surplus desktops were donated through Computers for Learning.