Turning the E-Waste Stream Into a National Asset w/ Matt Bedingfield

The Manufacturing Executive · 21 Jul 2026 · 24m · Episode 319

What this episode covers

Matt Bedingfield, CEO of Mint Innovation, explains how the US can turn its e-waste stream into a national asset by recovering critical minerals like copper, gold, and palladium from printed circuit boards and black mass. He highlights a 1-million-ton copper shortfall and the vulnerability of relying on exporting scrap only to re-import refined metal, arguing for a sovereign supply chain built on domestic processing capabilities. Bedingfield discusses the necessity of an ecosystem approach, citing his work with the Metals Innovation Initiative (MI2) in Kentucky to solve pre-competitive challenges like talent pipelines and safety, and outlines Mint's plan to build a new facility in Longview, Texas.

Mentioned

Companies
Mint Innovation, Wheeland Group, Novelis, Trieros, Arubus, HP, Metals Innovation Initiative, Guerrilla 76
Also
Longview, Texas

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