Major Corporations Step Up for Certified Green Electronics Recycling

The Basel Action Network (BAN),
the group that first documented the dumping of toxic electronic waste in
China and Africa, announced today the official launch of the world's
first global e-waste recycler certification and the first such program
backed by environmental organizations and major corporations alike. The
accredited, third-party audited certification program has not only been
endorsed by Greenpeace USA, the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources
Defense Council (NRDC), the Electronics TakeBack Coalition and 68 other
environmental organizations, it has also drawn the support of major
corporate "e-Stewards Enterprises" including:

• Apollo Group

• Bank of America
• Capitol One Financial
• Indep. Distributors of Electronics Assoc.
• Natural Resources Defense Council
• Nemours Foundation
• Premier, Inc.
• Premier Farnell
• Resource Media
• Samsung
• Sprout Creation
• Stokes Lawrence
• Wells Fargo

"Samsung is honored to be the first electronics manufacturer
recognized with the e-Stewards standard for rigorous recycling and
e-waste materials management," said Mr. J. C. Ser, Senior Vice
President for Samsung Electronics America. "This is a major
validation of our efforts as we have responsibly recycled more than 20
million pounds of e-waste since the beginning of our Samsung Recycling
Direct program in 2008 and plan to continue strengthening our commitment
and leadership in this industry."

At the heart of the program is the e-Stewards Standard, created by BAN with the advice
of industry leaders and health and environmental specialists. It calls
for 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.

"The e-Stewards Enterprise program makes it easy for us to
demonstrate that our electronic waste management standards are
responsible and align with best practices. By using e-Stewards
Recyclers, we know that our old computers and other electronics aren't
going to be disposed of in a way that harms people or the environment
and that, when possible, electronic components are recycled and reused,"
said Mary Wenzel, director of Environmental Affairs, Wells Fargo.

Currently there are about 50 e-Stewards Recyclers, each of which has
passed a rigorous internal review by BAN as a preliminary step to full
certification. All are regarded as responsible recyclers, and each has
committed to becoming fully certified by September 2011. Today's
announcement names the first companies that have become fully
certified. They have passed additional, independent audits conducted by
three ANAB accredited certifying Bodies: AQA International LLC, Orion
Registrar Inc., and SAI Global. These very first Certified e-Stewards
Recyclers are:

• Newport Computer Services, Inc. (one US location)
• Redemtech (all 4 US locations)
• WeRecycle! (one US location)

Already, there are an additional twelve recyclers next in line
that have contracted with certifying bodies to begin the process. They
are: A greenSpan Computer Recycling, California Electronic Asset
Recovery (CEAR), CloudBlue, Creative Recycling Solutions, eGreen IT
Solutions, Glezco (Mexico), Materials Processing Corporation, Metech,
Nextend, Regency Technologies, Surplus Exchange, and Universal Recycling
Technologies.

"We are making history here," said Mick Schum, President
of WeRecycle! "Today, e-Stewards Recyclers and their
customers are taking a significant step forward in achieving the most
responsible level of management for obsolete electronic equipment. Now,
we can provide a competitive domestic alternative to the irresponsible
exportation and dumping that runs rampant throughout the industry.
Finally, consumers can really know they are doing the right thing when
they recycle their old electronics and as Certified e-Stewards
Recyclers, we can prove it."