Information for Recyclers

Recyclers Say No Exports, No Prisons, No Dumping!

Electronics recycling firms across North America have joined forces with environmental organizations and agreed to uphold the world’s most rigorous environmental and social criteria for the dismantling and recycling of electronic wastes (e-waste). The criteria are contained in the landmark "Electronic Recycler’s Pledge of True Stewardship” that was developed in 2003 in conjunction with members of the Computer TakeBack Campaign, including the Basel Action Network, and the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition.

See our map of responsible recyclers in each state or go to the Basel Action Network's site for an alphabetical list of the pledge signers, now called "E-Stewards.

How to become a pledge signer (and get listed on our website)

Recyclers listed on our site as "responsible recylers" must meet the highest standards in electronics recycling. This includes:

• Not exporting toxic waste (as products, commodities, etc) to developing countries

• Not using prison labor

• Not landfilling/incinerating toxic waste.

Here's how to become a pledge signer (E-Steward).
1. Read the pledge. Go here for the text of that pledge, which includes additional criteria to those listed above. See if this is something you can comply with.

2. If you think you can meet the requirements of the pledge, you will need to go through a qualification process, administered by the Basel Action Network. For the instructions for how to “qualify” under the pledge, go here.

3. As you will see, there is a review process that must be followed in order to determine whether a recycler’s practices meet the standards. Once a company is qualified under this review, then we can list them on our site. We cannot list your business on our site until you have completed and passed this review process.

Why We Need A Recyclers Pledge?

A majority of electronic waste (E-waste) collected by recyclers, much of it hazardous, is actually exported to developing countries[1]. There the recycling or direct dumping of the material results in a serious export of pollution to those countries. Environmental protections in developing countries are usually poor, but regardless of the levels of protections, the export of pollution absolves manufacturers of the need to prevent hazards and wastes upstream through product design.

[2]Putting E-waste into solid waste management systems -- landfills and incinerators – is yet another way of externalizing costs - this time to be absorbed by local governments, taxpayers and communities in degraded health, contaminated water and air.

Yet another means of externalizing real costs for e-waste has been the use of taxpayer subsidized prison labor. Prisons are likely to unfairly compete with private sector recycling and thus deter the vitally needed development of a private sector infrastructure for domestic waste recycling. Further, it provides a form of corporate subsidy to manufacturers for downstream pollution management, instead of more appropriate upstream pollution management.

We believe that recyclers would be wise to move swiftly to address these serious concerns, so that consumers can be offered adequate assurances that the "right" thing will really be done with their E-waste.