Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the nation’s leading recycler of electronic waste, announced today that it has now successfully achieved Responsible Recycling Practices for Electronics Recyclers (R2) certification and Basel Action Network’s (BAN’s) e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment for all of its facilities, nationwide.
Announcement of the certifications means that ERI is the only recycler of electronics in the United States – and the world – to achieve both R2 certification and be certified to BAN’s e-Stewards program at every one of its operating locations.
R2 Certification is a set of guidelines for accredited certification programs to assess electronics recyclers’ environmental, worker health and safety, and security practices. Since January 2006, the EPA has facilitated a multi-stakeholder group to develop this document. The voluntary R2 practices include general principles and specific practices for recyclers disassembling or reclaiming used electronics equipment including those electronics that are exported for refurbishment and recycling.
The e-Stewards Standard, created by BAN with the advice of industry leaders and health and environmental specialists. It requires 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.
“We are extremely proud to be the first electronic recycler in the world to receive both R2 and e-Steward certifications on a companywide level,” said John S. Shegerian, Chairman and CEO of ERI. “Not only does it illustrate that ERI has met the strictest standards of environmental and operational excellence, it also shows that we are dedicated to sustainable, environmentally friendly operations – at every one of our locations – in North Carolina, Texas, Massachusetts, Indiana, Colorado, Washington and right here in California. We strongly support R2 certification as well as BAN’s certified, third-party audited programs, and encourage the other companies in our industry to follow our lead in getting certified with both.”
Shegerian also noted that ERI continues to see steady growth and will soon be further expanding nationally and internationally.