The Hidden Cost of Manual Triage in Electronics Recycling

Title: The Hidden Cost of Manual Triage in Electronics Recycling

Published: March 21, 2025
Author: Jake Daniels, CEO of GreenSight

Walk into any electronics recycling or refurbishment facility and you’ll likely find something unexpected: clipboards, spreadsheets, and lots of guesswork.

While these companies are handling complex devices and valuable materials, many are still relying on manual triage processes to make routing decisions—like whether a device should be refurbished, parted out, or recycled. This slows things down, introduces inconsistency, and ultimately leaves value on the table.

The problem isn’t a lack of expertise—it’s a lack of the right tools.

At GreenSight, we’ve spoken with dozens of recyclers and refurbishers. The pain points are clear:

• Diagnosing devices quickly and accurately is hard.
• Grading cosmetic condition is subjective and inconsistent.
• Pricing data is often out of sync with current markets.
• Teams are stretched thin, making training and quality control a challenge.

That’s why we’re building a smarter system—starting with our Scan-For-Value tool. It’s designed to make fast, intelligent routing decisions accessible to everyone on the floor, from seasoned technicians to new hires. By combining real-time market data, diagnostic insights, and AI-driven recommendations, we’re reducing the guesswork and improving throughput.

Because at the end of the day, every minute counts—and every device has potential.

As we move toward a more circular economy, automation and intelligence will be the keys to unlocking it. We’re not just building tools—we’re building the future of electronics recovery.

Curious how smart triage could work in your facility? Reach out to join our beta.

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