BAN move drawing industry support

Jun 27, 2012 | 04:38 PM | Sean Davidson

Tags  e-cycling, Basel Action Network, Jim Puckett, e-Stewards, ISRI, R2 Solutions, John Lingelbach, Sean Davidson

NEW YORK — The decision by Basel Action Network (BAN) to separate its advocacy from its electronic recycling certification program is a welcome and much needed move, several industry participants said.

BAN released a request-for-qualifications document Monday for a company to independently administer the group’s e-Stewards certification program (AMM, June 27).

This certification is the only type that prevents the export of hazardous electronic waste to developing countries, BAN said.

BAN spent the past year deliberating and working toward the independence of the standard and the certification it created in 2010, electronic waste recyclers told AMM.

"It’s been on the anvil for a while, and we’re very happy they have finally gone this route," one source said. "It is important for the industry to have an independent standard and certification program. E-Stewards is the strongest standard that exists and has been built thoroughly. It needed to be independent, and this needed to happen."....