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Did you know that there is a patron saint of electronics? Declared by Pope John Paul II in 1997, Isidore of Seville became the patron saint of the internet and electronics. Isidore became the Bishop of Seville in 600, and during his time, he took it upon himself to record all the information ever known and ended up creating a 20 book encyclopedia entitled Etymologia, meaning, “the study of origins.” His 20 book encyclopedia consisted of knowledge not only about languages, kingdoms, and geography of the world but also of furniture, agriculture and even the different names of women’s outer garments. Just as Isidore of Seville is the patron saint of the internet, today, there also needs to be something watching over the world of electronics. In some ways, r2 rios is precisely that.
R2 specifically refers to the best practices that are used by the electronics industry including best practices for electronic waste. When a company is R2 certified, it means that the business is qualified to be able to properly handle electronic waste in a responsible, safe and ethical manner. RIOS was created to offer standards in the recycling industry, including the recycling of electronics. RIOS stood for Recycling Industry Operating Systems and was developed by the International Organization for Standardization. Together, R2 and RIOS provide guidelines and standards for companies to use to ensure employee safety, customer data security, environmental ethics, quality performance and more. The Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries provides the combined R2/RIOS certification.
The only way a company can get these certifications is if they go through a full audit to ensure that all business practices are up to the national codes and standards. If you or your company is looking to recycle e-waste, be sure to consider a company that has R2 and/or RIOS certifications.
