Activists groups on Monday launched a certification program meant to identify responsible recyclers of electronic gear in North America.
The program, called the e-Steward Initiative, was organized by the Basel Action Network, the Electronics TakeBack Coalition, and Electronic Recyclers International.
The launch of the program was timed with the release of a 60 Minutes segment that publicized problems in the electronic waste recycling industry.
“Unfortunately today, most companies calling themselves electronics recyclers are scammers,” said Sarah Westervelt, e-Stewards project coordinator at the Basel Action Network (BAN) in Seattle, in a statement. “They simply load up containers of old computers and ship them off to China or Africa.”
Take-back and recycling services
Meanwhile, there is a growing number of services aimed at taking back electronics either for resale or recycling.
Second Rotation, a company that offers a take-back service for consumer electronics, said on Monday that it has raised a series B round of funding worth $6 million. The company’s Gazelle’s service will buy back used electronics. Data is erased and the products are then resold or recycled.
Another firm, called Flipswap, offers a trade-in service where it buys back used cell phones and iPhones to resell them. The company is expected to raise a round of funding in the coming weeks.
Another new company in tech recycling and repurposing is TechForward, which launched a buy-back program offered to consumers at the point of sale.
