What is Responsible Electronics Recycling And Why Does It Matter?

It’s true. Electronic devices, hardware vessels for sensitive and private information, can become a means for serious privacy threats even after being discarded. In addition, unless the discarding takes place at a reputable and responsible recycling center, chances are, the device may end up illegally shipped to a developing country.

Under these circumstances, relying on a responsible recycler is of utmost importance. What is a responsible recycler and what’s the best way to locate one? In this post, we’ll explore the distinguishing factors of responsible recyclers.

Who would think that the world of electronics recycling could ever be corrupt or fraudulent? It does, indeed, happen. Consumers should definitely beware of fake e-waste recyclers, and it’s a good idea to inquire about the credentials and certifications a recycler has prior to sending off your electronics. 

Once an item is dropped off or placed at the curb for pickup (in rare cases), it’s hard to know exactly where that device will end up. Unless the recycler is certified and can guarantee its credibility, it could be a fake recycler cashing in on the device rather than supporting the planet by recycling.

Those looking to cash in on outdated electronics can simply round up devices from garage sales, non-profits and junkyards. When sold to the right buyer, these devices can enable a sizable profit to fund the next run. 

Such practices leave consumers vulnerable to privacy threats and can be harmful to the environment when the device is illegally shipped to countries where recycling takes place in open-air, informal recycling dumps. Often, the secondary outcome is that unlicensed recyclers simply dump electronics in unauthorized locations which become breeding grounds for even more air, soil and water pollution.

Executive Recycling, Inc. and its executives learned the hard way that e-waste recycling fakers can be punished harshly. In 2013, the company began fraudulently collecting e-waste and dumping it or shipping it illegally to third world countries. The result – an EPA raid on their headquarters in Denver, CO and hefty fines for all executives in charge, including 30 months in federal prison for the company’s CEO.

Executive Recycling is an excellent example of the penalties and punishments in store for e-waste recycling fakers, but what happens when even larger companies engage in fraudulent e-waste recycling? 

In 2014 the EPA made telecommunications giant AT&T pay a whopping fine of $25 million for illegally dumping electronic waste from its California facilities. The fine came as a result of a nine year investigation which found that the company had engaged in illegal handling of hazardous waste including electronics. Clearly, not an example of responsible recycling.

The AT&T case highlights a different aspect of e-waste recycling fraud: illegal dumping. EPA fines help keep cases of illegal dumping low in the U.S. despite a lack of federal law governing e-waste disposal, but there is still another threat to the e-waste responsibility factor: illegal shipping abroad. 

The Basel Action Networkand its eStewards certification has played a pivotal role in tracking and monitoring the illegal shipment of electronic waste to developing countries. Their efforts have helped rein in once rampant shipments of hazardous e-waste to impoverished and ill-equipped sites in Asia and Africa. 

The U.S. has outlawed such practices, but they still continue, and even more disheartening – most of the illegal shipping has placed a stigma on electronics recycling as a whole. Recently, key players in the fight against the e-waste crisis have been exposed as illegal shippers. Dell and Goodwill are the latest companies to come under fire for illegal shipments of e-waste to Asia. Instances like these threaten to shake the already unstable trust among consumers concerning the validity and effectiveness of electronics waste recycling.

It’s important to note that the EPA often acts an enforcer of recycling laws in cases of e-waste fraud. The EPA particularly investigates instances of environmental protection law violations. 

For instance in 2012, the EPA led an investigation into a Michigan case involving recyclers who used counterfeit labels to hide the age of computers containing CRT monitors. In order to ship these to Egypt illegally, the recyclers needed to change manufacture dates on the devices (since Egypt’s laws did not allow CRT’s more than five years past their manufacture dates).

In the end, the companies were fined $10,000 and at least one executive served 30 months in federal prison for the crimes. These fines and jail time serve as deterrents for other criminal acts involving violation of e-waste laws, and the EPA is apparently well able to apply them.

Certain characteristics unify the electronics recycling industry. Each recycler must be able to pass certain qualifications in order to be licensed by the state or federal institution in authority. However, some recyclers operate without licences, knowing that the electronics recycling industry can be a particularly lucrative operation for those with the right connections.

What are the practical signs of a responsible recycler?  Certification is a good sign that a recycler is in compliance with third party rules and regulations designed to keep recycling free of fraudulent activity. The eStewards Certification indicates a recycler is committed to complying with U.S. laws prohibiting illegal trade of e-waste. 

Beyond that there are other certifications that may indicate a responsible recycler. The R2 Certification and the ISO certifications are two to look for. Both require adherence to vigorous standards on the disposal of hazardous material as well as the collection and storage of everyday e-waste.

Responsible recyclers are needed in order to ensure that electronic devices are properly discarded rather than dumped or sent halfway round the world to third world landfills and junkyards. Although achieving the status of ‘responsible recycler’ is not easy, it’s a necessary precaution to prevent erosion of consumer confidence in the electronics recycling process.

Not only that, but those in partnership or relationship with recyclers also have a responsibility to ensure that their collection efforts do not result in illegal dumping and trading of e-waste. This means even key players in the e-waste recycling process such as manufacturers and producers must work to ensure their recyclers are responsible e-waste recyclers.