A group of 32 North American electronics recyclers in partnership with the Basel Action Network and the Electronics TakeBack Coalition and others, are hoping to end the dumping of toxic e-waste in developing countries.
The group, known as E-Stewards, has launched an initiative to certify and accredit North American recycling companies as “responsible recyclers.” Recent studies of electronics recycling practices have revealed that most North American e-waste ends up in African and Chinese landfills.
Studies include the television report by CBS, “Following the Trail of Toxic E-Waste” and the recently-released report by U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) entitled “Electronic Waste: EPA Needs to Better Control Harmful U.S. Exports through Stronger Enforcement and More Comprehensive Regulation.”
The E-Steward certification plan will “forbid the dumping of toxic e-waste in developing countries, local landfills and incinerators; the use of prison labor to process e-waste; and the unauthorized release of private data contained in discarded computers.”
At the present time, 32 recyclers operating in 92 locations have been certified by the E-Stewards, including 14 pioneers in recycling designated E-Steward Founders. ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) certification and third-party auditing will be introduced by 2010.
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e-stewards.org
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