Chris Culver
Marketing & Industry Awareness Committee Member
Cyntek Group Inc.
Here’s an important fact we should all be promoting from both a marketing and an industry awareness perspective: EASA members’ decades-long positive impact to the environment and our industry’s responsible industrial waste management.
Even if it hasn’t been part of a formal program, EASA electric motor repair facilities have long been leaders in industrial recycling and sustainability programs that aim to address the environmental impact of electric motors and promote sustainable practices in their lifecycle. Our recycling processes have been in existence long before the recycling blue boxes or before the terms “going green” and “green new deal” were part of the lexicon.
When EASA firms raise public awareness about what we do and the importance of recycling electric motors, it helps our customers, government entities, and the general public understand the overall benefits, which can then lead to a greater understanding of responsible recycling and sustainability.
Electric motor recycling programs are aimed at collecting, recycling, and properly disposing of non-repairable electric motors to reduce industrial waste and promote environmental sustainability. Electric motors are commonly found in various appliances, power tools, machinery, and of course industrial equipment, and they contain valuable materials that can be reclaimed and reused, such as copper and steel.
It’s important to understand the basics of what a recycling program is as it pertains to our industry. Here are key components of an electric motor recycling program:
1. Collection
Programs typically involve the collection of failed, old or discarded electric motors from various sources, including our focus - industrial equipment, and to a lesser extent, power tools, household items (such as pool pumps) and automotive applications. In the case of a repair shop, it usually involves a few different scrap bins that are used for copper collection, complete motors and various scrap items that are processed and recycled by others.
2. Dismantling and Separation
Once collected, electric motors are dismantled to separate the various components. This process involves removing outer casings, wiring and other non-metallic parts from the motor. The goal is to isolate the valuable materials, primarily copper and steel, which can easily be recycled.
3. Recycling
After dismantling, the separated materials, such as copper windings and steel casings, are sent to recycling facilities. The recycling process typically includes melting down the metals to be used in the production of new products, reducing the need for mining and manufacturing of virgin materials.
4. Environmental Compliance
Recycling programs must adhere to environmental regulations and guidelines to ensure safe disposal of hazardous components, such as ensuring the use of controlled burn off ovens to remove the varnish from the windings or old insulation systems with asbestos and other contaminants that may be present in some electric motors. Proper handling of these materials is essential to protect both the environment and human health.
5. Energy Conservation
Repairing electric motors generally requires less energy compared to extracting and refining raw materials used in manufacturing. This contributes to overall energy savings and a lower carbon footprint. By reusing metals and other components of the motor, the need for energy-intensive production processes is reduced.
6. Waste Reduction and Diversion
Recycling electric motors reduces the volume of industrial waste sent to landfills, minimizing environmental pollution and soil contamination caused by hazardous materials present in the discarded motors and materials. A proper waste diversion program aligns with waste reduction goals, a fundamental aspect of sustainability.
7. Public Awareness and Education
Public education campaigns and outreach efforts are often part of these programs to raise awareness about the importance of recycling electric motors. These initiatives inform individuals and businesses about the benefits of recycling and the availability of collection points, and the more EASA firms promote this aspect of our business, the better it is for everyone. We are doing good things for the environment each and every day – promote it!
8. Incentives
Often there are various types of incentive programs by local or federal governments such as cash rewards or discounts on new motors, which encourage participation and motivate individuals and organizations to recycle their electric motors. Doing a little research and understanding what incentive programs are available to you and your customers can be quite beneficial.
9. Collaboration
Collaboration between government agencies, recycling companies, manufacturers and other stakeholders is critical to the success of electric motor recycling programs. Cooperation helps ensure the efficient collection, processing and recycling of electric motors and achieves sustainability goals. Participate in collaboration efforts!
In summary, by recycling electric motors, our industry conserves natural resources, reduces energy consumption and minimizes the environmental impact associated with mining and manufacturing of raw materials. Our recycling efforts help divert industrial waste from landfills, promoting a more sustainable approach to handling discarded electric motors. Let’s promote those facts.
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