WASHINGTON -- The Congressional E-Waste Working Group today brought together the nation's largest e-waste stakeholders in hopes of developing a solution to disposing of the 100 million electronics devices that are rendered obsolete each year.

The participants -- electronics manufacturers and retailers, recyclers, environmental groups and state officials -- discussed what role the federal government can play to mitigate e-waste's effects and how to distribute responsibility for disposal.

The Working Group, a bipartisan effort, was formed in 2005 to explore options to the problem of e-waste.

In a statement, member Rep. Mike Thompson said, "Rather than having a patchwork of state regulations and individual company policies, a federal solution may be a more effective approach."

Added Rep. Louise Slaughter, "We're coming together to produce clear and consistent e-waste guidelines. Developing a national plan is critical if we want to protect our environment and the vitality of electronics manufacturers. If we don't respond to e-waste now, U.S. businesses will be put at a competitive disadvantage, while the consequences to the environment will grow more severe."

The Government Accountability Office estimates that 100 million electronic devices become obsolete each year. E-waste now accounts for more than 40% of the lead and 70% of the metals in U.S. landfills, the Working Group said.

Represented at today's meeting was Best Buy, Consumer Electronic Association, Consumer Electronics Retailers Coalition, Dell, Electronic Industries Alliance, Electronic Waste Recycling Program - California, Goodwill Industries, H-P, IBM, International Scrap Recycling, Kodak, National Recycling Coalition, Panasonic, Product Stewardship Institute, Washington State Department of Ecology, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, Sony Electronics and CTIA, The Wireless Association.

YAVNE, ISRAEL – Valor Computerized Systems has acquired a slate of inspection and test, workflow management and quality control technologies from EO Tech GmbH. The deal included the transfer of some engineering staff.

Under terms of the agreement, Valor acquired exclusive rights to EO Tech’s electronics assembly, QA, test and repair software. Valor plans to integrate the functionality into the next generation of its manufacturing planning and execution suite (MPES), planned for 2007.

No financial terms were disclosed.

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OLATHE, KS -- Suntron Corp. will close its contract manufacturing business unit here and transfer the business to other company sites, laying off 190 employees in the process, the EMS firm said in an SEC filing yesterday.

The relocation will be "substantially completed" by December.

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TAIPEI -- Gold Circuit Electronics next year will add 33% to its manufacturing capacity for PCBs for notebook computers according to Commercial Times, a Chinese newspaper.

The PCB maker aims to grow its capacity to 27 million units per year, up from 18 million units in 2006, the paper said. All the additions will be made in China.

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