E-Stewards certification officially replaces "Pledge" program
The evolution and adoption of responsible electronics recycling practices made an important transition at the beginning of September, 2011, as the Basel Action Network formally sunsetted the Pledged e-Stewards Recyclers program on September 1.
Established in 2003, the Pledge program was the first widely recognized initiative designed to identify electronics recyclers committed to globally responsible e-waste management practices. September 1 marks its official and full replacement by the Certified e-Stewards Recyclers program.
The Electronic Recyclers’ Pledge of True Stewardship included eight tenets of responsible recycling including a promise not to send hazardous e-waste to landfills, incinerators, prison operations or to developing nations. In addition, it promoted establishment of environmental management systems and material tracking and transparency throughout the downstream supply chain.
The Pledge has now been replaced by a more robust third party audited certification known as e-Stewards Certification, which is based on the comprehensive 51-page e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment.
Lauren Roman, BAN’s e-Stewards Business Director and 17-year industry veteran, commented on the foresight of the Pledge program.
“In 2003, the world was just waking up to the horrors of e-waste export and the dire need for a means of separating good recyclers from bad recyclers,” said Roman. “I'm amazed the basic tenets of the Pledge program, identified by BAN eight years ago, provided the foundation for what are now globally accepted principles of responsible e-recycling. The new e-Stewards Recycler Certification is even more comprehensive and accountable – really the gold standard.”
When the Certification program was launched in April 2010, almost 50 companies were participating in the Pledged e-Stewards Program. These companies were given 18 months to certify or leave the program completely.
As of September 1, approximately 75 percent of the Pledged e-Stewards have either achieved certification or are under contract with a Certifying Body to be certified by 2012. Among those that have not certified, some were not eligible as they only collected e-waste and were not doing actual recycling. Four companies are working toward certification but have yet to contract with a Certifying Body. Only two found the Standard too difficult to achieve, and only one declined due to the program's expense.
Today, over 140 e-recycling facilities have been, or are in the process of, becoming certified. The e-Stewards website no longer lists recyclers unless they are certified or contracted to complete their audits within required time frames.
The Certified e-Stewards program has garnered the support of 70 environmental organizations as well as major enterprises such as Wells Fargo, Samsung, Bank of America, LG Electronics, Aloca and many others. It is the only recycler certification that meets their stringent corporate requirements for globally responsible e-recycling. e-Stewards Certification has also been recognized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. For more information on the Pledge program or e-Stewards Recycler Certification, visit www.e-Stewards.org.
For more information, contact: Lauren Roman, e-Stewards Business Director at 206-652-5555, or email at [email protected].
