Over 134 IT and Electronics recycling facilities have been fined, abandoned, had certifications suspended/revoked, or have been caught exporting to developing countries in Africa and Asia. Such events can be disastrous to your reputation and can result in your organization incurring fines or potentially the additional cost of disposal or cleanup. Those are not just theoretical outcomes – some of the most prestigious companies in the world have had to incur significant additional cost and scramble to address a large provider’s bankruptcy in 2018; well-known organizations have had their brand tied to scandals involving exporting e-waste to developing countries; and numerous local governments are currently embroiled in litigation over clean-up costs from abandoned e-waste by disreputable recyclers. Are any of those risks worth saving a few pennies per pound on electronics recycling?
The following resources are provided to allow you to verify that we are who we say we are and to make an informed decision regarding other providers.
Make sure your current or future service provider is not one called out in the Basel Action Network (BAN) “Scam Recycling” reports for exporting to developing nations.
Verify a provider’s e-Stewards certification.
There is a big difference between being a NAID organization member and going through the rigorous process to become NAID AAA certified. You can verify a provider online at NAID's website. Be sure to filter for Certified members only and for Computer Media Destruction, both physical and sanitization.
Finally, you should make sure your provider isn’t affiliated with any non-compliant manufacturers.