Leading environmental organizations today applauded Paul Gauguin Cruises’ decision to pursue the most globally responsible recycling practices for its electronics. In committing to this, Paul Gauguin Cruises becomes the first travel company to achieve the designation “e-Stewards Enterprise.““We are pleased to be a part of this important program,” said Diane Moore, President, Paul Gauguin Cruises.
Paul Gauguin Cruises operates the m/s Paul Gauguin, the longest continually sailing luxury cruise ship in the South Pacific. The Chairman of the cruise line, Richard Bailey, is a world leader in the field of sustainable tourism and environmental responsiblity.
E-waste is the fastest growing part of the U.S. garbage stream. According to Time Magazine, Americans throw out more than 350,000 cell phones and 130,000 computers every day. Improperly disposed of, the lead, mercury and other toxic materials inside e-waste can leak from landfills and pollute communities.
“At this pivotal moment in the worldwide e-waste crisis, Paul Gauguin Cruises joins a growing number of business, academic and governmental leaders taking action to stem a toxic tide,” said Jim Puckett, Executive Director of the Basel Action Network ( BAN ).
The non-profit BAN created the world’s most rigorous standard for electronics recycling, called the “e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment.” As an e-Stewards Enterprise, Paul Gauguin Cruises agrees to always make best efforts to work with recyclers that meet this standard, ensuring that the cruise line’s e-waste does not contribute to global toxic waste.
E-Stewards Recyclers undergo a professional audit every year to guarantee that hazardous electronic wastes are not exported to developing countries, handled by U.S. prison labor operations, or dumped in municipal landfills. E-Stewards recyclers also ensure that private data is kept secure, and that their operations protect both workers and the environment everywhere.
“Principled and practical certifications programs like e-Stewards are among the best tools in our global sustainability toolbox,” said Frances Beinecke, Executive Director of the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Today, Paul Gauguin Cruises has committed to a new arena of increasing importance – electronic product and waste stewardship.“
Adds Barbara Kyle, Executive Director of the Electronics TakeBack Coalition: “We are pleased that Paul Gauguin Cruises has earned the e-Stewards enterprise designation and is the first in the travel industry to do so. By rewarding industry leaders for such real progress, we can make significant progress toward greening our beleaguered planet.“
More than 70 environmental groups worldwide, including Greenpeace, the Sierra Club and the National Resources Defense Council, have endorsed the e-Stewards Standard.