![]() The e-Stewards include 32 companies in 92 locations that have been qualified by BAN. “The e-Stewards project is a response to the failure of government and industry to act as responsible global citizens in the age of information technology,” Jim Puckett, BAN executive director, says If the legislation passes, the audited certification program will serve as a strong enforcement tool, according to the organizations. The Electronic TakeBack Coalition and BAN also are pursuing federal legislation to ban national exports. These programs reveal the improper processing of scrapped electronics in China and Africa that have been shipped from electronics recycling companies based in the U.S. The e-Stewards announcement follows the airing of an exposé on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Following the Trail of Toxic e-Waste the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s recently aired “Electronic Dumping Ground ” and a recent episode of the French Canadian Program “Panorama,” Electronic Waste: The Hidden Face of Recycling. Westervelt adds, “By choosing an e-Steward recycler, consumers and large businesses are assured that their old computers and TVs will be safely managed and not simply tossed into a local landfill, processed unsafely by prison laborers or exported to developing countries.” “They simply load up containers of old computers and ship them off to China or Africa.” “Unfortunately today, most of those companies calling themselves electronics recyclers are scammers,” Sarah Westervelt, BAN e-Stewards project coordinator says. The e-Steward Certification will forbid the dumping of toxic e-scrap in developing countries, local landfills and incinerators the use of prison labor to process electronic scrap and the unauthorized release of private data contained in discarded computers. Recycling these metals eliminates the need for mining - and the financial support for brutal wars that have killed millions of people.The Basel Action Network (BAN), based in Seattle, and the Electronics TakeBack Coalition have joined with 32 electronics recyclers in the United States and Canada to announce that BAN’s e-Stewards program will soon be fully accredited and certified. Click on to find the nearest E Steward recycler or link to R2's website.įinally many electronics use " conflict metals, " or minerals that are mined in countries where atrocious civil rights violations occur. ![]() "E Stewards" and "R2 Certified" companies guarantee the materials they accept will be handled responsibly. International policies prevent dumping of escrap in poor countries, but dismantling and recycling with little or no regulatory oversight is common practice, and leads to contamination of the workers, their families and communities. To protect the environment, escrap should always be recycled by a reputable, certified recycler.Įlectronic scrap from the US is sometimes shipped to developing countries. These materials accumulate in the environment and are responsible for irreversible health effects in humans, wildlife, plants and microorganisms. Q: What could weigh as much as 11 Great Pyramids of Giza in 2017?Įlectronic products often contain hazardous materials, including lead, mercury, cadmium, and brominated flame retardants. This not only ensure proper handling, but it also provides security that no private information can be recovered from your electronics. Recycle electronics! Businesses, organizations, institutions and agencies are required by law to ensure that electronics are processed by a certified electronics recycler. The longer you store old electronics, the less value so act quickly after an upgrade. Sell usable electronics - If the electronics are in good working order and less than 2 years old, you may be able to recover some of your investment by selling the equipment through a local electronics reseller or through direct sales. The Funding Factory featured on the left is a fundraising programs for schools and non-profits that turns old electronics into cash. Click on the links below to find recycling solutions for electronics!ĭonate usable equipment - Several local and national organizations refurbish and donate or sell usable electronics, making technology available to those who would otherwise not be able to afford it. Consider how many cell phones, computers, hand-held data processors, tablets and other electronic devices you use and how often these become obsolete. Electronic waste (or "escrap") is generated by nearly every household, business, institution and agency in the country. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |