The e-Stewards Initiative is an electronics waste recycling standard created by the
Basel Action Network.
The program and the organization that created it grew out of the concern that electronic waste generated in wealthy countries was being dismantled in poor countries, often by underage workers. The young workers were being exposed to toxic metals and working in unsafe conditions.
In 2009, BAN published the e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment which set forth requirements for becoming a Certified e-Stewards Recycler—a program that "recognizes electronics recyclers that adhere to the most stringent environmentally and socially responsible practices when recovering hazardous electronic materials."
Recyclers that were qualified under the older Pledge program had until 1 September 2011 to achieve certification to the Standard by an e-Stewards Accredited Certification Body accredited by
ANAB (ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board).
Standard
The e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment was developed by the
Basel Action Network. It is an industry-specific environmental management system standard that is the basis for the e-Stewards Initiative. On 6 March 2012, BAN released and updated revised Version 2.0 to open public comment prior to its final adoption later in the spring of 2012.
The certification is available to all electronics recyclers and refurbishers. To achieve an e-Stewards certification organizations are subject to an initial Stage I and Stage II audit. After passing such audits and being accepted by BAN, yearly surveillance audits take place to ensure organizations with the standard and have a registered
ISO 14001
ISO 14000 is a family of standards related to environmental management that exists to help organizations (a) minimize how their operations (processes, etc.) negatively affect the environment (i.e. cause adverse changes to air, water, or land); (b) ...
environmental management system in place, as well as achieving numerous performance requirements including assuring no export of hazardous electronic wastes to developing countries, no use of prison labor and no dumping of toxic materials in municipal landfills.
See also
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Basel Convention
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, usually known as the Basel Convention, is an international treaty that was designed to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations ...
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Basel Action Network
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Electronic waste
Electronic waste or e-waste describes discarded electrical or electronic devices. Used electronics which are destined for refurbishment, reuse, resale, salvage recycling through material recovery, or disposal are also considered e-waste. Inform ...
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Electronic waste by country
Electronic waste is a significant part of today's global, post-consumer waste stream. Efforts are being made to recycle and reduce this waste.
Basel Convention
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes ...
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ISO 14001
ISO 14000 is a family of standards related to environmental management that exists to help organizations (a) minimize how their operations (processes, etc.) negatively affect the environment (i.e. cause adverse changes to air, water, or land); (b) ...
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E-Cycling
Computer recycling, electronic recycling or e-waste recycling is the disassembly and separation of components and raw materials of waste electronics. Although the procedures of re-use, donation and repair are not strictly recycling, these are oth ...
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Digger gold An urban mine is the stockpile of rare metals in the discarded waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) of a society. Urban mining is the process of recovering these rare metals through mechanical and chemical treatments.
The name was coin ...
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Hazardous waste
Hazardous waste is waste that has substantial or potential threats to public health or the environment. Hazardous waste is a type of dangerous goods. They usually have one or more of the following hazardous traits: ignitability, reactivity, cor ...
References
External links
e-Stewards(official website and locator)
Basel Action Network
{{Waste
Electronic waste
Recycling