San Francisco – (March 1, 2004) The Polymer Alliance Zone, Inc of West Virginia (PAZ) through its electronic platforms GreenOnline.com and ElectronicsRecycling.org is today announcing the creation of a centralized data repository for electronics recycling related information. This project will fulfill a need for up-to-date information on the collection and recycling of electronic waste. PAZ is initiating this effort in cooperation with U.S. EPA, the Electronic Industries Alliance (EIA), and with the encouragement of many public and private sector entities interested in electronics recycling.
This data repository is an open, collaborative public/private data sharing project built around the creation of several XML standards to aid in the sharing of data and results from electronics recycling efforts. The first initiative underway involves the development of common data elements in cooperation with EPA’s Plug-In to eCycling program. Background on this initiative and a list of draft core electronics recycling data elements are attached to this press release and available at www.GreenOnline.com or www.ElectronicsRecycling.org.
The Plug-In Pilots are collaborative efforts among EPA, retailers, equipment manufacturers, recyclers, and state and local officials, and include regional electronics recycling pilot projects in the Northeast, Minnesota, and the Pacific Northwest. The Plug-In To eCycling program is one of many new efforts under EPA's Resource Conservation Challenge, which seeks to increase the national recycling rate to 35 percent and cut the generation of 30 harmful chemicals by 2005. More information on Plug-In is available at http://www.plugintoecycling.org.
PAZ is 501 (c)(3) non-profit economic development organization located in West Virginia. Their mission includes support for the growth and development of a viable electronics recycling industry through the MARCEE project, particularly for plastics from end-of-life electronics.
The project has strong congressional support from Congressman Alan B. Mollohan (D-W.Va.), who has secured funding for its operation. The project is being funded from private and public sources. This particular effort is currently being supported by grants from the U.S. EPA and the U.S. Department of Energy through the National Energy Technology Laboratory to PAZ from West Virginia University.
A related effort in the development of the electronics recycling data repository will be discussed at the upcoming IEEE International Symposium on Electronics in the Environment conference in May, 2004 in Scottsdale, Arizona. IEEE has selected a paper entitled "Development of XML Industry Standards for Information Exchange and Commerce" for presentation at this conference, where technical issues regarding an industry XML schema and development process will be discussed in detail.
This announcement is being released at the Take It Back! West 2004 Conference organized by Raymond Communications at the Foster City Crowne Plaza near San Francisco.