This is the first programme to be backed by environmental organisations and major corporations. The accredited, third-party audited certification programme has been endorsed by Greenpeace USA, the Sierra Club, the Electronics TakeBack Coalition, and 68 other environmental organisations, as well as major corporate ‘e-Stewards Enterprises’ including:

• Apollo Group, Inc.
• Bank of America
• Capital One Financial Corp.
• Ind. Distributors of Electronics Assoc.
• Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
• Nemours Foundation
• Premier, Inc.
• Premier Farnell
• Resource Media
• Samsung
• Sprout Creation
• Stokes Lawrence
• Wells Fargo

“Samsung is honoured to be the first electronics manufacturer recognised with the e-Stewards standard for rigorous recycling and e-waste materials management,” said J.C. Ser, Senior Vice President for Samsung Electronics America. “This is a major validation of our efforts as we have responsibly recycled more than 20 million pounds of e-waste since the beginning of our Samsung Recycling Direct programme in 2008, and plan to continue strengthening our commitment and leadership in this industry.”

At the heart of the programme is the e-Stewards Standard, created by BAN with the advice of industry leaders and health and environmental specialists. It calls for recyclers to eliminate exports of hazardous e-wastes to developing countries, to halt the dumping of such wastes in municipal landfills or incinerators, and to cease the use of captive prison populations to manage toxic e-wastes. It also calls for strict protection of customer’s private data and occupational health safeguards to ensure that workers in recycling plants are not exposed to toxic dusts and fumes.

“The e-Stewards Enterprise programme makes it easy for us to demonstrate that our electronic waste management standards are responsible and align with best practices. By using e-Stewards Recyclers, we know that our old computers and other electronics aren't going to be disposed of in a way that harms people or the environment and that, when possible, electronic components are recycled and reused,” said Mary Wenzel, Director of Environmental Affairs at Wells Fargo.

Currently there are about 50 e-Stewards Recyclers, and each has passed a rigorous internal review by BAN as a preliminary step to full certification. All are regarded as responsible recyclers, and each has committed to becoming fully certified by September 2011. All of the companies to be fully certified have passed additional, independent audits conducted by three ANAB accredited certifying bodies; AQA International LLC, Orion Registrar Inc., and SAI Global.

These very first Certified e-Stewards Recyclers are:

• Newport Computer Services, Inc. (one US location)
• Redemtech (all four US locations)
• WeRecycle! (one US location)

There are twelve companies that are next in line; A greenSpan Computer Recycling, California Electronic Asset Recovery (CEAR), CloudBlue, Creative Recycling Solutions, eGreen IT Solutions, Glezco (Mexico), Materials Processing Corporation, Metech, Nextend, Regency Technologies, Surplus Exchange, and Universal Recycling Technologies.

“We are making history here,” said Mick Schum, President of WeRecycle!. “Today, e-Stewards Recyclers and their customers are taking a significant step forward in achieving the most responsible level of management for obsolete electronic equipment. Now, we can provide a competitive domestic alternative to the irresponsible exportation and dumping that runs rampant throughout the industry. Finally, consumers can really know they are doing the right thing when they recycle their old electronics and as Certified e-Stewards Recyclers, we can prove it.”

The e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment is an industry-specific environmental management system standard designed as the basis for the e-Stewards Certification. It was developed with detailed input from experts in the recycling and asset recovery industries, the environmental community, occupational health and safety professionals, and the certification and accreditation industries. It is written for international use, and is consistent with international waste trade rules, social accountability standards, and environmental management system norms.

Embedded within the e-Stewards Standard is ISO 14001; the global standard for environmental management systems. Using the ISO 14001 standard as a framework, the e-Stewards Standard adds additional industry-specific performance requirements, which results in a systemic, documented and top management commitment to best management practices for electronics recycling and reuse, every day of the year.

The e-Stewards Standard is maintained and revised through an on-going mechanism of formal revisions. The revision process includes iterative involvement of stakeholders such as e-Stewards, customers, regulators, certification and accreditation bodies, and occupational health and safety experts. Between formal revisions of the Standard, BAN publishes Sanctioned Interpretations of the Standard, in order to clarify intentions or make small changes in the Standard.