Innovation

John Kirsch, together with Michael Deutsch, both with backgrounds in the IT industry, realized that in New York City there was a lack of a real e-waste system. This is a solution for people who do not know what to do with the old computer they have in their homes or the old television from the 70’s, 80’s or even 90’s that are no longer used. The e-waste industry is not currently under any legislation or regulation, nowadays this is more about personal responsibility.

4th Bin's ethical e-waste is a business model that collects the e-waste from your home or office, moves it to the 4th Bin facilities and analyzes if the e-waste could be refurbished or “the plan B” as they called it, transported to recycling partners. The differentiator here is that they handle the items with extreme care to prevent any hazardous materials from harming society. Further than this, refurbished items are sold on the open market or donated at no-cost to non-profits or to artists. 4th Bin believes in the artist from NYC so they provide technology to artists at no-cost, the only requirement for artists is to return the item when they are through with it, to be sure it is recycled ethically.

Inspiration

“IT just thinks about the consumption side; IT people don’t have a finance or business background that can see these kind of issues”, fortunately when John worked for an IT Consultancy one of his clients said to him, “Can you buy me all this stuff (computers, tech items)? We want to replace all this stuff”, immediately after John heard that he realized that he had never thought about this, they wanted to recycle, but they did not know they wanted to recycle.

After this talk with his client, John talked with Michael and both wondered, what happens to all of those computers, printers, monitors, and cell phones? They realized that there were companies recycling but the way they were recycling was not ethical. They found the option to create an e-waste business model that creates consciousness more over the regulations and change the mindset of the business and people to look for the wellness of the environment, society and economy.

Overall impact

“You can be efficient at the company and buy new technology and let other people reuse what you are not using anymore; changing the mindset of businesses and people”, John said. The impact they want to have with their ethical e-waste company is to create consciousness of how e-waste could be dangerous when smashed open or exposed to elements, and also make refurbished items more obtainable for people that do not have the resources to buy new technology. It is known that nowadays technology changes every day and companies need to be avant-garde with the best of the market to be competitive, but there are many other associations (businesses, charities, non-profit) that may find useful the items companies are disposing. If it is no longer useful it is possible that with 4th Bin, it will find someone that will take advantage of it, and at the same time companies are doing the right things for the environment and society.

Business benefit

Fortunately for 4th Bin, the world is becoming more conscious of making the right choices. 4th Bin's competitive advantage over other e-waste recycling companies is that they are looking for the right choices; they are changing the mindset. People are willing to pay the fee that 4th Bin charges to collect e-waste because it is worth it to create a better world.

4th Bin generates income from their fees and then when refurbished items sell. The refurbishing process has a cost - engineers have to disassemble all the items, analyze them and the assemble it again with the parts that are useful. 4th Bin creates consciousness about constructing a better world and their process is working in New York City. John described their business as “It’s more than that, it is more about creating value with this process and doing the right things”.

4th Bin's innovation is helping companies to create value with the e-waste. 4th Bin gives certificates for being part of the e-waste ethical recycling program. This makes the companies collaborate with the same purpose as the 4th bin; companies such as Nintendo and The New School among others now use the 4th bin and have been successful with the implementation of this new recycle process.

Social and environmental benefit

4th Bin has a no landfill and no export policy, this means that the e-waste that they collect is kept in their facilities until they realize that the item is not useful for refurbish. When the item is going to “Plan B”, their recycling partners are all certified and follow the same mission as 4th Bin to create a better world and take care of the environment. 4th Bin does not transport the e-waste to other countries in order to prevent the spill of hazardous materials.

4th Bin, helps artists by providing them tools (refurbished items) for their projects or installations at no-cost, as well as helping non-profit institutions to have better equipment to create more value for society.

Since its creation, 4th Bin has collected over 4.5 billion pounds of e-waste and has recycled over 3 million pounds. In addition, 4th Bin has been leading the way in educating and advising businesses and institutions as to the dangers of electronic waste, relevant legislation and ethical sustainability practices.

Having said this, 4th Bin is helping the world by encouraging companies, society and people to adopt sustainable practices and also then helping them to integrate it to their operations and lifestyles. Also, their no-landfill policy is helping keep people healthy because the hazardous materials that make up e-waste is well directed and oriented to experts that will know how to handle this without harming the environment.

Interview

John Kirsch, Co-founder and Senior VP of Business Development