PEARL representative attended RIC's "Strategic Dialogue on Remanufacturing Policy" roundtable in Washington, D.C and plans to attend second meeting at Rochester Institute of Technology on March 31.

AURORA, CO - To help shape U.S. government policy and public perception of remanufactured products, PEARL Vice President Malcom Frederick, Branch Manager of Coastal Switchgear & Controls, LLC (Angleton, TX), recently attended the Remanufacturing Industries Council (RIC) inaugural "Strategic Dialogue on Remanufacturing Policy" roundtable held in Washington, D.C., on January 24-25.

Hosted by the Rochester Institute of Technology's National Center for Remanufacturing and Resource Recovery and the Council on Competitiveness, a national nonprofit organization focused on economic development, roundtable discussions focused on the current state of the remanufacturing industry as well as the challenges and issues facing that sector. The meeting included representatives from some of the U.S.' largest manufacturing companies, including Caterpillar Inc., General Electric Co., and General Motors, among others.

"At the roundtable, we heard about all the different companies and industries that are doing reconditioning, like PEARL, or some type of remanufacturing," related Frederick. "The RIC hopes to better represent the remanufacturing industry and keep legislation balanced for all remanufacturers. I think PEARL needs to be part of this process if we want to help shape government policy, rather than react to set policy for our electrical industry sector."

Frederick said that PEARL was well received at the roundtable meeting, adding that some attendees questioned the use of 'recycle' in PEARL's name because PEARL does not recycle basic goods into raw materials. "PEARL's standards and practices keep materials out of landfills by reconditioning and returning electrical product to safe and reliable condition," added Frederick.

PEARL plans to send a representative to RIC's next meeting, which will be held at the Rochester Institute of Technology Campus on Thursday, March 31, 2011. The goal of this meeting will be primarily to develop plans for the implementation of the group's recommendations that were discussed in Washington, the best ways to take those recommendations forward, and to discuss future directions and plans for the RIC.

Use this link to view Wall Street Journal coverage of RIC roundtable

About PEARL:
Founded in 1997, the Professional Electrical Apparatus Recyclers League (PEARL) creates, collects, and disseminates information, policies, procedures, and standards to ensure the proper recycling and reuse of electrical power equipment. Its 70+ corporate members must meet strict technical, safety, and operational requirements.

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