Nationwide Video’s Commitment to Electronics Recycling
At Nationwide Video, sustainability and environmental responsibility is a mission that we’ve been putting a growing emphasis on. Our electronic recycling efforts are a key component of our Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives. For the past two years, we’ve partnered with EPC USA, a global leader in electronics recycling and resale, to ensure that our end-of-life AV equipment is responsibly processed, refurbished, or recycled. We spoke with our Quality Assurance Manager, Mary Diaz, about all the initiatives across the company.
Nationwide: Can you tell us a little about our decision to partner with EPC USA?
Mary Diaz: EPC USA plays a critical role in helping us keep our gear active within the industry. If a piece of equipment reaches “b-stock” status, meaning it’s still functional but no longer cutting-edge, EPC helps us resell that gear, extending its life cycle. This practice keeps valuable equipment in circulation in our industry rather than having it end up in a landfill. In the past 12 months, we’ve had over 70 of our items refurbished, totaling 1,131 pounds of gear that would’ve otherwise ended up in a landfill.
NW: Let’s talk numbers. Tell us about Nationwide’s Recycling Milestones and the impact of those milestones!
MD: Over the last five months alone, we’ve submitted three major recycling projects which included just shy of 500 assets. The careful process of recycling can take time; it typically takes EPC USA 2-3 months to assess and process all of the materials we send their way. To give you an idea, since we began this initiative, we’ve recycled and processed 365 assets weighing more than 10,000 pounds! The nice part about tracking these efforts is that it allows us to share significant environmental impact data with our partners and ensure that we are all creating a positive impact on the environment.
NW: There always has to be a leader in initiatives such as these. Can you tell us about where this all started?
MD: Yeah! Our recycling journey began even before this formal partnership. Back in 2017, when our DC shop opened, we had a large batch of end-of-life monitors that we shipped over to Ohio for responsible recycling. In 2018 and 2019, I even personally delivered smaller batches of monitors in my Mini Cooper to local recycling facilities in Maryland. It was quite a funny juxtaposition to be in line with a bunch of heavy-duty trucks, but we made it happen!
NW: Can you tell us about how EPC USA helps us in our commitment to extend the Life Cycle of AV Equipment?
MD: Through our ongoing collaboration with EPC USA, we’ve not only kept older equipment from ending up in landfills but also ensured it reaches underserved communities and non-profits. If they’re unable to find a home for it in the AV industry, they do a really great job of passing it on to underserved communities and non-profits. It’s great to know that they’re making a real effort to exhaust all options before any equipment has to see the end of its life. All of these initatives allows us to extend the life cycle of our AV gear, which is central to our overall ESG strategy.
NW: Do we just recycle electronic equipment?
MD: Beyond electronics, we’ve expanded our recycling efforts to include cardboard and paper. Our headquarters alone produces significant amounts of cardboard due to our constant influx of new gear, and we’re looking into acquiring a 20-yard recycling container to handle the volume. This initiative extends to our Los Angeles office, where we’ve been measuring and recycling cardboard waste with the help of local waste management partners.
We’ve also taken steps to recycle smaller waste streams, such as Keurig K-Cup from our office coffee machines, filling up and sending out eight K-Cycle boxes so far. These efforts, both large and small, reflect our dedication to reducing our environmental footprint in every facet of our operations.
NW: What’s on the horizon for Nationwide in regards to recycling initiatives?
MD: As we continue to grow and evolve, our partnership with EPC USA allows us to scale our ESG efforts and ensure that more of our used equipment gets refurbished, resold, or repurposed. Sustainability is not just a buzzword for us—it’s a commitment to our clients, our partners, and the planet. We look forward to expanding these efforts in the years to come and setting new benchmarks for responsible equipment management in the pro AV industry.
By focusing on recycling and refurbishing, Nationwide Video is reducing waste, creating new opportunities for others, and contributing to the global effort to make the tech industry greener. This commitment to sustainability not only benefits the environment but also strengthens our relationships with our partners and clients.