Mining Urban Ore: A Strategy for E-Waste and E-Scrap Processing at Teck Resources' Trail Operations

Teck’s Trail Operations is facing a critical decision regarding the construction of facilities for entering the electronic scrap processing industry. This action will affect the longtermprofitability of Trail Operations.This paper evaluates the existing and future market for the generation and recovery of electronic waste. It also describes the electronics recycling chain from generation to the endprocessing of all waste streams. The paper reviews global trends in legislation to assess the potential impact on the electronic waste recycling industry.Using Porter’s Five Forces methodology, an industry analysis reveals prospective opportunities and threats that could affect Teck’s entry into the industry. An internal assessment of Trail Operations’ strengths and weaknesses enables the identification of the firm’s competitiveadvantage in the industry. The paper concludes with recommendations to guide Teck in the establishment of a competitive strategy for Trail Operations in the electronic scrap processing industry.