E-Stewards: The Choice for Truly Responsible Recycling

The e-Stewards Electronic Recycling Certification is the first fully accredited, independently audited certification program designed to ensure that e-waste will be responsibly – and accountably – recycled, and not dumped in developing countries. The e-Stewards Certification was developed by a group of concerned electronics recyclers, environmentalists, industry leaders and health and safety and technical experts working with the Basel Action Network (BAN), a non-governmental organization focused on stopping illicit e-waste exports.

Building on many years of helping businesses manage their IT equipment to the highest standards of environmental, social and financial responsibility, Redemtech is proud to be among the first companies to achieve e-Stewards Certification – and the only IT asset recovery and disposition service provider to be e-Stewards Certified nationally.

Redemtech was able to move quickly to achieve certification because the company has long been an active advocate for responsible recycling. As an original signatory in April 2004 of BAN’s Electronics Recycler’s Pledge of True Stewardship, which imposed the world’s strictest requirements for e-waste handling, Redemtech has operated in accordance with the standard for years. Redemtech has achieved certification for all of its U.S. facilities and is aggressively pursuing certification for its integrated network of international TCM Centers across North America and Europe to ensure global companies can manage e-waste responsibly, accountably and consistently across their enterprise.

The Need for Standards

As the largest generators of e-waste in the U.S., major corporations have developed policies that promote responsible recycling. Yet 80% of the IT assets and other electronics recovered from businesses is exported to developing countries, devastating the environment and human health. Why? Unethical recyclers promise to do the right thing – then pump up their profits by shipping their customers’ toxic-laden computers to Asia or Africa for dismantling under horrific conditions.

It’s a nightmare for companies that want to protect the environment – and guard against legal and regulatory risks as well as negative publicity. With almost no regulatory restrictions or governmental enforcement of illicit e-waste export, for many years unethical recyclers – considered the majority of the e-waste industry – have been free to work in the shadows with little risk of getting caught.

However, the industry reached a tipping point following a scathing U.S. Government Accountability Office report criticizing the Environmental Protection Agency for failing to enforce e-waste laws and a series of media exposés exposing unethical e-cyclers. Concerned businesses began demanding greater accountability from e-waste vendors, which fueled a drive for certification programs.

The e-Stewards Advantage

Working with an e-Stewards Certified e-waste recycler provides important advantages for Global 2000 companies. The e-Stewards Standard:

• Prohibits the export of e-waste to developing nations, including untested or nonworking equipment for “refurbishment,” ensuring compliance with the Basel Convention and the Basel Ban
• Bans the use of prison labor, landfills or incinerators for toxic materials
• Includes many industry-specific performance requirements, including prohibiting shredding of mercury and requiring appropriate worker health and safety protections
• Requires accountability for toxics all the way to final processing
• Incorporates the global ISO 14001standard for environmental management systems to ensure consistent standards across the world
• Ensures integrity of recycling operations through a rigorous independent audit process conducted by accredited certification bodies

Redemtech strongly supports the e-Stewards Standard as the best way to protect the environment – and guard our enterprise customers from legal, regulatory and corporate image risks. The e-Stewards Standard offers the governance – real checks and balances – to ensure that corporate recycling policy is fully implemented once e-waste leaves a company’s direct control.

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