R2v3 Certification Requirements: A Complete Guide for Electronics Recyclers

The 12 Core Requirements

Every R2v3-certified facility, regardless of its specific processes, must satisfy all 12 core requirements:

1. Scope — clearly defined boundaries of certified activities
2. Environmental Health and Safety Management System (EHSMS) — a documented management system covering environmental and worker safety
3. Legal Requirements — a maintained register of applicable environmental and safety laws with evidence of compliance
4. Tracking Throughput — documented tracking of all electronics and components from receipt through final disposition
5. Sampling — statistically valid sampling for downstream vendor due diligence
6. Process for Prioritizing Management Strategies — reuse and repair prioritized over material recovery, which is prioritized over disposal
7. Data Security — sanitization or destruction procedures for data-bearing devices
8. Focus Materials — special handling for CRT glass, batteries, mercury-containing devices, and other high-risk materials
9. Facility Requirements — adequate space, equipment, and environmental controls
10. Insurance and Financial Responsibility — coverage adequate to address environmental liability
11. Employee Training — documented training programs for all applicable roles
12. Downstream Recycling Chain Due Diligence — verified, auditable chain of custody through every downstream vendor

The Process-Specific Appendices

On top of the core requirements, R2v3 applies additional Appendices matched to what your facility actually does:

• Appendix A — Focus Materials: facilities handling CRTs, batteries, or other focus materials directly
• Appendix B — Data Sanitization: any facility performing data destruction or sanitization on data-bearing devices
• Appendix C — Test and Repair for Reuse: facilities that test, repair, and resell equipment
• Appendix D — Specialty Electronics Reuse: medical devices and other specialty equipment reuse
• Appendix E — Brokering: companies that broker electronics for reuse or recycling without physical processing
• Appendix F — Downstream Recycling Chain: facilities managing multi-tier downstream recycling networks
• Appendix G — Facility Closure Plan: a documented plan for responsible closure if the facility ceases operations

Determining scope correctly at the start of your certification project avoids the most common cause of audit delays: being assessed against an Appendix that doesn't match your actual operations, or missing one that does. A gap assessment against your specific process flow — not a generic checklist — is the right starting point.