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Material Acceptance Criteria

This document defines what materials Scott Recycling accepts, what we accept with conditions, and what we decline. Print this, post it at the receiving area, and give a copy to every driver.

The goal is consistency. Every CSR, every driver, every receiver should give the same answer when a customer asks "do you take X?"

The Acceptance Decision (Quick Reference)

Customer material offered
    │
    ↓
Is it e-waste or recyclable material?  ── NO → DECLINE, refer to appropriate recycler
    │ YES
    ↓
Do we have a processing path for it?   ── NO → DECLINE or EVALUATE
    │ YES
    ↓
Does it require certs we don't hold?   ── YES → DECLINE
    │ NO
    ↓
Is pickup cost justified by material value?  ── NO → DECLINE unless bundled
    │ YES
    ↓
ACCEPT

Tier 1 — Always Accept

These materials we accept every time, from every customer. Standing inventory. Known processing paths. Predictable recovery.

Electronics (Primary Revenue)

Material Notes Processing Destination
Laptops — working, broken, or parts All brands, all ages Sort → test → grade → refurb or harvest
Desktop computers — tower, all-in-one, SFF All brands Sort → component harvest
Servers — rack-mount, tower, blade Enterprise equipment holds value Test → component harvest
Networking equipment — switches, routers, firewalls All brands Test → sell or harvest
Phones & smartphones All conditions accepted Test → grade → list or harvest
Tablets — iPad, Android, Surface All conditions Test → grade → list
Hard drives — HDD and SSD Data destruction if requested Destroy or test → list
Memory (RAM) DDR3, DDR4, DDR5 Test → list
CPUs (processors) All brands and generations Grade → list
Graphics cards (GPUs) All brands Test → list
Power supplies Desktop and server Test → list
LCD/LED monitors Working or broken Test → grade
Printers & peripherals Laser, inkjet, scanner, etc. Test → sell or scrap
UPS units Without batteries if possible Test → sell or harvest
Circuit boards From any source Grade → sell to refiner

Scrap Metal

Material Notes
Steel (clean) Separated from other metals
Aluminum Cans, extrusions, cast
Copper wire Stripped or unstripped
Brass Fittings, valves
Stainless steel Appliance-grade, food-grade
Mixed metals (small quantities) Sorted on intake

Cables & Wire

Material Notes
Copper wire (all gauges) Priced by gauge and insulation %
Network cables (Cat5/6/etc.) Bulk copper recovery
Power cords Standard appliance cables
Specialty cables HDMI, fiber, coax

Tier 2 — Accept with Conditions

These materials we accept, but with specific handling requirements or additional documentation.

CRT Monitors & TVs

  • Accepted: Yes, with proper handling
  • Condition: Whole units only (no broken glass)
  • Volume limit: Do not accumulate beyond capacity of containment — CRT stockpiling is an EPA concern
  • Handling: Palletized or boxed, kept dry, separated from other e-waste
  • Destination: Certified CRT processor only (see vendor list)
  • Customer fee: May apply — cover disposal cost

Batteries

Accept with segregated storage:

Battery Type Acceptance Storage Requirement
Li-ion (laptop, phone, power tool) Yes Fire-safe container, segregated area
NiMH / NiCd Yes Segregated area
Lead-acid (small — UPS, alarm) Yes Segregated area, contained in case of leakage
Lead-acid (automotive) Yes, small quantities Pallet with spill containment
Alkaline (AA/AAA/C/D) Yes, small quantities Dry storage
Button cells Yes, small quantities Dedicated container

Fire risk is real. Never accept swollen, leaking, or damaged batteries without immediate isolation in a non-combustible container. Ship to battery recycler before capacity is exceeded.

Medical Equipment

  • Accepted ONLY with data destruction agreement
  • All data-bearing components (hard drives, memory, flash storage) get NIST 800-88 treatment
  • Chain of custody documented from pickup to destruction
  • Destruction certificate issued to customer
  • HIPAA requirements apply — see HIPAA Compliance
  • If customer cannot sign BAA or data destruction agreement: DECLINE

Toner & Ink Cartridges

  • Accepted in limited quantities as a customer service
  • Not a profit center — accept to be accommodating
  • Recycle or sell to cartridge refurbisher
  • Don't accumulate beyond small storage area

Large Format Equipment

(Copiers, plotters, large printers)

  • Accepted if pickup logistics work
  • Heavy, low per-pound value
  • Accept as part of a larger pickup load, not standalone
  • Standalone pickup: customer pays transport cost
  • Check for data-bearing components (hard drives in copiers)

Appliances (White Goods)

  • Accepted as part of larger mixed load only
  • Refrigerators/freezers: require refrigerant recovery — only if we can verify recovery was done
  • Washers, dryers, dishwashers: scrap metal value only
  • Water heaters: accepted
  • Microwaves: accepted (watch for magnetron)
  • Stand-alone pickup of appliances: DECLINE unless justified by volume

Tier 3 — Decline

These materials we do not accept under any circumstances.

Material Reason Refer To
Furniture Not e-waste, no processing path Local furniture recycler or donation
Construction debris Not our business Construction & demolition recycler
Yard waste Not our business Municipal composting
Medical waste (needles, biohazard) Licensing required Medical waste disposal service
Radioactive materials (smoke detectors in bulk) NRC licensing required Manufacturer take-back or hazmat service
Fluorescent tubes & CFLs Mercury, hazmat licensing Hazmat disposal service
Paint, solvents, chemicals Hazmat licensing TDEC household hazardous waste program
Fuels, oils, lubricants Hazmat handling Petroleum recycler
Asbestos-containing materials Requires specialized disposal Abatement contractor
Pressurized tanks (propane, oxygen, freon) Explosion risk Gas supplier / hazmat
Tires No processing path Tire recycler
Solar panels No established processing path (for now) Decline until R2 or partnership addresses it
EV batteries (high-voltage) Specialized handling required EV battery recycler
Gun safes / large steel safes Access / weight / liability Scrap yard that handles heavy items
Vehicles Refer to Scott SuperStore or auto recycler Scott SuperStore
Food waste / organic matter Not recyclable by us Composting
Hazardous chemicals (pesticides, etc.) Hazmat licensing TDEC hazardous waste program

Special Scenarios

Customer Arrives with Mixed Load (Accepted + Declined Items)

  • Accept the Tier 1/2 items
  • Refuse the Tier 3 items — customer takes them back
  • Document what was refused and why
  • Be polite — offer alternatives where possible (see referral list above)
  • Never quietly accept declined items and "deal with them later" — this creates hazmat liability and environmental violations

Customer Offers Unknown Material

  • Ask for identification — look for labels, MSDS, model numbers
  • Do not guess — if you can't identify it, you can't assess the hazard or the processing path
  • Call Dan / compliance officer if unsure
  • Default to DECLINE if the material can't be identified

HIPAA-Covered Material (Medical / Healthcare Customer)

  • BAA must be in place BEFORE pickup — verify with CSR system
  • Chain of custody begins at pickup — label, photograph, tag
  • All data-bearing devices go to NIST 800-88 destruction
  • Destruction certificate issued to customer
  • See Data Destruction Procedures

Suspected Stolen Property

  • Do not accept material that appears to be stolen
  • Red flags: customer is nervous/evasive, equipment is obviously enterprise-grade from someone with no business address, serial numbers have been removed, identifying marks are defaced
  • If you've already accepted and then become suspicious: preserve the material, notify Dan, contact police non-emergency line
  • TN law requires reasonable due diligence on scrap purchases

Data-Bearing Devices from Non-HIPAA Customers

  • Still destroy data by default
  • Issue destruction certificate if requested
  • Don't assume a residential customer doesn't care about data — default to destruction, let them opt out of certification if they want to save time

Pricing Reference

(Prices are subject to change based on commodity markets and vendor negotiations. This is a guideline only. Always verify current pricing with management.)

Category Pricing Model
Electronics (working, retail-ready) Tested value, sold at market price
Electronics (grade C, component harvest) Estimated component recovery value
Scrap metal Per pound at current market rate
Copper wire Per pound at current market rate (stripped premium)
Circuit boards Per pound, graded (high/medium/low)
CRT disposal Fee-based (may charge customer)
Battery disposal Fee-based (may charge customer for large quantities)
Data destruction service Per-device or per-pound with certificate

See the Sales & Pricing Reference in software guides for channel-specific pricing.

Who Decides at Receiving

Role Authority
Driver Accept Tier 1 items as loaded per pickup request. Refuse Tier 3 items. Escalate Tier 2 questions to dispatch.
Warehouse receiver Accept / refuse at the yard per this document. Escalate unknowns to supervisor.
CSR Schedule pickups based on this document. Decline out-of-scope requests politely with referral.
Supervisor / Dan Final decision on Tier 2 edge cases and customer escalations.

When in doubt, escalate. Don't guess, don't freelance, don't "just this once." Consistency is how this document stays useful.

Review Schedule

  • Quarterly — review for new materials, new regulations, new processing paths
  • Annually — full review with legal and compliance
  • Triggered review — new material stream added, new certification obtained (R2 changes acceptance criteria), regulatory change