Dec 31 2013
With the global electronic-waste market projected to exceed $20 billion within the next two years, Green Technology Solutions is investigating the potential of a new research and development resource in Latin America that specializes in metallurgical processes and the impact it could have for the company in realizing future revenues.
GTSO, through its joint venture partner Chilerecicla, recently began talks with the Metallurgical Department of the Universidad de Concepción in Chile about building an e-waste research and development center. Such a resource would allow GTSO and Chilerecicla to faster process, sort and grade larger quantities of collected precious metals from e-waste before shipping to major overseas smelters.
For GTSO and its partners, a metallurgical research and development center in Chile will potentially provide significant returns.
“The Universidad de Concepción possesses an outstanding reputation in applied research and development in the metallurgical industry,” GTSO CEO Paul Watson said. “Scientists in the Universidad’s Metallurgical Department have the technical knowledge on the research and development side to add great value to the Chilean e-waste management industry. Their involvement would significantly expedite the process of sorting and grading and enable us to ship the e-waste to overseas smelters much faster.”
Urban mining is pivotal to GTSO’s vision to compete alongside major international corporations striving for sustainable waste solutions, such as Covanta Holding Corporation (NYSE: CVA), Industrial Services of America (NASDAQ: IDSA) and Sims Metal Management Ltd. (NYSE: SMS). Late last year, GTSO acquired the company Global Cell Buyers and soon after rebranded the company as Green Urban Mining to handle its domestic recycling and resale operations.