Seattle, USA – The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has now formally recognized the e-Stewards® Recycler Certification and associated e-Stewards® Standard for the Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment. Developed by the Basel Action Network (BAN) in conjunction with leaders in the recycling industry and experts in occupational health and safety, data security, certification, and other fields, the e-Stewards Standard describes environmentally safe and responsible practices for managing electronic waste. According to BAN, the e-Stewards Standard is the only standard that bans hazardous electronic waste exports to developing countries.

“We are very pleased that EPA has acknowledged the validity of the standard that growing numbers of individuals, corporations and electronics recyclers consider to be the bottom line in responsible recycling,” said Lauren Roman, Basel Actin Network’s e-Stewards Business Director. “Our standard fully supports the free trade of non-toxic valuable commodities to developing countries while protecting citizens of these nations from the burden of getting toxic waste along for the ride.”

EPA’s website contains the following new notice on their e-Cycling webpage: "EPA supports and will continue to push for further safe and protective recycling efforts and encourage improvements in best management practices for recyclers. There are existing recycling certification programs, such as R2 and e-Stewards that EPA believes advance environmentally safe practices and includes standards for use in third party certification of such efforts."

Additional support for the approximately 50 e-recycling companies currently qualified as pledged e-Stewards Recyclers that recommitted to full e-Stewards certification came in the form of an EPA memo sent to all partners of the Federal Electronics Challenge that encourages federal facilities and agencies to manage obsolete electronics in an environmentally safe way. The memo states:

"Use of either an R2 certified or e-Stewards certified electronics recycler meets your federal requirements to employ environmentally sound practices with respect to disposition of electronic products. Use of these certified recyclers requires no further due diligence."

At the request of leaders in the recycling industry, the non-profit Basel Action Network developed the e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment as an alternative to the R2 Practices that allow export of hazardous e-waste to developing countries under conditions that are not consistent with international law. The mission of the Basel Action Network is to encourage international compliance with the UN Basel Treaty and Amendment which bans export of any kind of hazardous waste to developing countries under any conditions.

Quelle: Basel Action Network (BAN)

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