ISRI will attend the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in early January. CES is the world's gathering place for all those who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50 years — the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. CES showcases more than 4,500 exhibiting companies, including manufacturers, developers and suppliers of consumer technology hardware, content, technology delivery systems and more; conference program with more than 250 conference sessions and more than 170,000 attendees from 160 countries. CES spans more than 2.9 million net square feet of exhibit space and features 36 product categories and 22 Marketplaces.
This will be the second time ISRI has attended as a group and will hold a joint meeting with the Consumer Technology Association and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to discuss emerging issues in the electronics and auto recycling areas. Last year, this meeting was attended by many leading consumer electronics manufacturers including Dell, Samsung, Microsoft, Sony, and Vizzio. Unfortunately, EPA was unable to attend due to the government shutdown. However, the meeting was very productive and the group exchanged views on subjects such as lithium-ion battery safety, reuse protocols, data destruction, design for recycling, and sustainability goals. This year, we will continue that conversation and explore more approaches towards improving the recyclability of these products. As the automobile and home appliances become more digitized and store more and more consumer data, these issues are being brought forward in these meetings.