Electronic Recyclers International`s California Facilities Receive R2 Certification

Electronic Recyclers International (ERI), the nation’s leading recycler of electronic waste, announced today that it has successfully achieved Responsible Recycling Practices for Electronics Recyclers (R2) certification for its Fresno, CA facilities. This makes ERI the world’s first recycler of electronics to be both R2 certified and certified to the Basel Action Network’s (BAN’s) e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment.

R2 Certification is the new standard supported by major electronic OEM’s, the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI), public interest groups, the US EPA, and US state and local governments, and is a stringent set of requirements for electronics recyclers. The standard includes requirements for environmental, worker health and safety, and security practices.

The e-Stewards Certification program, created by BAN, is an accredited, third-party audited certification program supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and 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 customers’ 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 our industry to receive both R2 and e-Steward certification,” said John S. Shegerian, Chairman and CEO of ERI. “Not only does it show that ERI has met the strictest standards of environmental and operational excellence, it also shows that we are dedicated to sustainable, environmentally friendly operations. 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 expanding nationally and internationally. The company currently has locations in California, Washington, Colorado, Indianapolis, Massachusetts and Texas and expects all of these facilities to be e-Stewards certified and R2 certified by this summer.