The e-Steward Solution
"This new certification for social and environmental responsibility in the e-waste recycling and asset management sector will be the first of its kind anywhere."
It is against the backdrop of the growing e-waste crisis that the e-Stewards Initiative was born. Without appropriate national and international legislation in place in North America, it is unfortunately left up to individual citizens, corporations, universities, cities – all of us – to figure out how to do better.
As early as 2003, BAN and the Electronics TakeBack Coalition decided to turn to the marketplace and public education in order to stem the toxic tide. We believe that most consumers will make the right choice if they are made aware of the global waste crisis and are able to differentiate good from bad, responsible from irresponsible, waste destinations. Our effort to educate and channel the market to industry leaders and away from the irresponsible actors began with the Electronic Recycler’s Pledge of True Stewardship (also known as “the BAN Pledge”) that held participating e-recyclers to a set of high standards including a ban on export, land dumping, incineration, and use of prison labor for toxic components. The BAN Pledge identifies a high but attainable level of social and environmental electronic recycling practices that are consistent with existing international law. The Pledge is currently a vibrant program with a waiting list of companies seeking qualification. It is enforced via ‘desk’ and paper audits that verify that toxic fractions of e-waste end up in responsible destinations. These Pledging companies, or e-Stewards, as they are now called, may be found here.
But the e-Stewards Initiative is going to become even better. Today, we are proud to announce that the pledge program is now graduating to become the e-Stewards Certification, an accredited, 3rd party audited certification system that builds on our original criteria and gives customers even greater assurance that these recyclers are the most responsible and effective in the industry. This new certification for social and environmental responsibility in the e-waste recycling and asset management sector will be the first of its kind anywhere. For more information on the e-Stewards Certification read our brochure.
How does e-Stewards Compare with Other Standards
"Only the e-Stewards Initiative deals adequately with the most egregious and irresponsible forms of recycling currently practiced today."
The e-Stewards Initiative is utterly unique in the world of tepid responses to the global e-waste crisis. Only the e-Stewards Initiative deals adequately with the most egregious and irresponsible forms of recycling currently practiced today. For this reason it is the only program with the support of the environmental and social justice community. Click here to find a comparison with the other “recycling” standards (EPA’s R2 standard and the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industry’s RIOS standard).
Use only qualified e-Stewards
In summary, before recycling anything electronic—including old printers, faxes, cell phones, Ipods, PDAs TVs, monitors and entertainment equipment—consumers that care should insist on only using e-Stewards. Look for the e-Stewards logo on the recycler’s website or check the full list of current e-Stewards near you. It’s the gold standard now, and soon it will be an accredited certified program with the highest levels of accountability. With e-Stewards one can finally feel good about getting rid of that old device sitting in the closet!
E-Stewards Enterprises
Fortune 1000 companies, universities and school districts, city and state governments, and other large organizations can become an e-Steward Enterprise if they commit to exclusive use of e-Steward recyclers. Approximately every 3 years, large institutions and companies replace their entire stock of technology infrastructure, and in addition to the environmental and social harm created by improper disposal, significant data security issues arise if fast-cheap-and-dirty operators take the job.
e-Stewards recyclers are the best in the business, and we will recognize the leading corporations and other organizations that commit to using only these industry leaders by acknowledging them as an e-Stewards Enterprise. If your organization would like to learn more about becoming a e-Stewards Enterprise, send an email.
