The e-Stewards Initiative is a Basel Action Network (BAN) recycling standard for electronic waste or e-waste. The project administers the e-Stewards certification program created to offer financial incentives that encourage the certification of the entire recycling chain that handles dangerous materials.
The e-Stewards Initiative is composed of a group of people, organizations, companies, non-profits, and governmental bodies all over the world that uphold a secure, moral, and ethical standard for recycling and refurbishing e-waste. By sharing and applying the ethical and sensible standards for electronics recycling and reuse, e-Stewards Initiative blocks the unlawful export of dangerous e-waste to developing countries and builds a judicious society that is safe and environmentally friendly.
What is the Story Behind the e-Stewards Initiative?
BAN pioneered the e-Stewards Pledge program in 2003 with the aim to halt the flow of harmful waste and pollutants into underdeveloped countries. More than 40 certified electronic recyclers at over a hundred sites in the U.S. and Canada responded to the pledge. BAN pushed to turn the e-Stewards Pledge into a self-audited certification program in 2006. BAN collaborated with the U.S. EPA-funded “Responsible Recycling” or R2 multistakeholder process to create a standard for voluntary e-waste recycling. After 2 and a half years the partnership was terminated as the environmental community refused to approve the testing of the standard draft that would go against laws in importing countries, in addition to allowing harmful substances in solid waste disposal centers.
A new standard was funded by BAN, the e-Stewards founders, and 13 recyclers, which would eliminate exports of harmful e-waste to developing countries. The e-Stewards Standard was then created by certified experts in recycling, asset management, health, and safety divisions resulting in the cleanest and most responsible standard for recycling e-waste in the world.
What is the e-Stewards Initiative Standard?
The e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment serves as the e-Stewards Initiative’s industry-specific environmental management system. The standard was released on March 6, 2012 by BAN for public review, and the updated version was released in the spring of that year.
All electronics recyclers and refurbishers can acquire the certification where they will undergo Stage I and Stage II audits. Annual surveillance audits are conducted on organizations that have passed these stages and have been approved by BAN to ensure they are in compliance with the standard, have an ISO 14001 environmental management system registered, and are meeting a number of performance requirements, such as ensuring none of the following- use of prison labor, export of hazardous electronic waste to developing countries, and disposal of toxic materials in municipal landfills.
TechWaste Recycling Inc. is a certified electronics recycling company committed to immediate and long-term environmental objectives.
