Officials from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the State of Mass. will gather at Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the nation’s leading recycler of electronic waste, for a White House Business Council (WHBC) Round Table discussion this Friday (tomorrow). The meeting is part of the Obama Administration’s strategy to promote job creation and the responsible recycling of electronics products. The visit to ERI will feature a behind-the-scenes look at the recovery of precious and rare earth metals and other valuable materials from used electronics such as computers, monitors, televisions, and cell phones. The roundtable will be led by New England Regional Administrators Robert Zarnetske, GSA and Curt Spalding, EPA.
The roundtable will be moderated by ERI Chairman and CEO, John Shegerian. The Round Table discussion will provide an opportunity for Zarnetske, Spalding, Shegerian and a host of New England green business leaders to discuss growing job opportunities in the region, and specifically, the American Jobs Act and what it can mean for the surrounding communities.
Zarnetske will share specific elements of the American Jobs Act and also gather feedback and input from the other Round Table participants, which he will bring back with him to Washington D.C. and communicate directly to the White House.
Individuals from the following companies and organizations are expected to attend: RMG, Enterprise, Metech Recycling, Inc., WeRecycle!, LLC, XTechnology Global, North Coast Services LLC, Waste Management Recycle America, Electronic Recyclers International, Inc., Northeast Recycling Council, Northeast Resource Recovery Association, Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, MassRecycle.
“It’s a distinct honor and privilege to be co-hosting this very special business roundtable event with the GSA,” said Shegerian. “It provides a terrific opportunity for our fellow businesses here in Massachusetts and New England to get an understanding of the American Jobs Act and how it can help business growth in our region and find out how forward-thinking companies are getting traction in today’s economy.”
The discussion will also feature opportunities for business leaders to brainstorm and share ideas on spurring job creation. Zarnetske will share the principal reason for the Round Table: to have a conversation about solutions – and what we as a country can do to move our economy forward and create new jobs now.
“A growing electronic recycling industry has great environmental and economic potential–it makes addressing pollution profitable while also creating green jobs,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “We applaud the leaders of this industry and are excited to continue expanding the conversation through these roundtables.“
“E-cycling is good public policy and it’s good business. Companies all over the country are proving that environmental stewardship can be profitable,” said Bob Zarnetske, regional administrator of GSA’s New England office. “This is an important emerging market and the federal government is here to help this industry grow jobs and improve the way we handle our resources.”