China has added more than 30 types of solid waste to its import ban, including used auto parts and steel. Some of the bans will take effect at the end of 2018, with the rest taking force a year later.

A process that uses nontoxic, regulator-approved ingredients to mine gold is also being used to extract electronic waste from electronics. Jabil is piloting a program using the process developed by EnviroLeach Technologies.

Parents can bring used car seats to Target stores through May 5 and get a coupon for 20% off the purchase of car seats or related products. The old car seats will be recycled.

Automation in the right places can help manufacturers produce quality products more quickly, writes Kevin Hill of Quality Scales Unlimited. Pallets and conveyor rollers are two areas where automation can help, he writes.

Chemical and materials companies can benefit from mobility and electric-vehicle trends in the automotive industry, but they'll need to change how they innovate and collaborate, argues this Deloitte analysis. Lightweighting, coatings and batteries are three areas where chemical companies can capitalize on technological trends.

Rendanheyi, a business model that encourages entrepreneurship and autonomy from departments, has been a cornerstone of Haier's success, says CEO and Chairman Zhang Ruimin. "Many other companies believe innovation is in new products or new technologies, but we believe innovation is about developing new ways to create value for the user," he says.

Industrial uses of machine learning must track and leverage sequenced time series data produced by machines and production systems. Companies should seek machine learning systems that can quickly digest multivariate time series data and generate insightful recommendations for corrective action, says Falkonry CEO and founder Nikunj Mehta.

Plant operators should consider environment when deciding which human-machine interface configuration is appropriate for their hazardous workplace, writes Tom Stevic. He discusses three typical HMI configurations and other factors to consider.

Even with high street areas seeing numerous vacancies across the UK, Sports Direct remains positive about the region's opportunities. The company secured bumper property funding to renovate Southport's high street, opened Sports Direct, Everlast and Flannels location, and watched as other vacant storefronts filled in with independent companies.

With parent company Bon-Ton Stores filing for bankruptcy, Carson's will close its anchor store at Spring Hill Mall in Illinois. Rouse Properties, which owns the retail center, says it is sure it will be able to find a new tenant.