A new electronic certification program sponsored by a non-profit trade association, located at www.wr3a.org, will make that task a little easier.
The program is being written by a non-profit export reform group, active in electronics recycling issues. According to several officials in government and overseas, it is easy to use and makes enormous sense. The program is based on the transaction, not the user or the destination. WR3A president Robin Ingenthron explains, "USDA certifies beef, not the butcher. What may be appropriate to one buyer may be waste to another. WR3A is trying to focus on which materials are easy to donate, and which require the expertise of an insured company with capacity to process lead and other chemicals."
EPA has struggled with the number of electronic devices becoming obsolete each year. But while EPA estimated that 315 million computers would be upgraded between 2000 and 2004, those projections include 2 and 3 year old computers, as well as 30 year old TVs. Which ones should be donated to the poor? Which ones should not be dumped on foreign shores? Americans are justifiably confused about where to bring their old TV or monitor, as they are turned away at the garbage dump (disposal of these items is now illegal in several states).
Until now, one sure way to decide where NOT to bring your used electronics has been to search online for "EPA Certified Recycler". Since EPA does not certify recyclers, you could be sure the recycler was lying. At the meeting in Washington, EPA and recycling groups committed to explore how an effective certification program might actually work.
WR3A's e-certification program asks generators and recyclers questions about their material and their goals, and then tries to match the bidders with an appropriate list of service providers, much like an online dating service. RecycleNet of Toronto, a corporation that lists thousands of recyclers online from around the world, has taken note and offered to sponsor WR3A's website.
The WR3A's e-certification program is "open source", allowing experts in an individual area (such as hard drive formatting or lead glass processing) to play a greater role in establishing standards. Donating Pentium III computers to a school? You should worry about the hard drive being cleaned, how the software will be legally installed. Holding a one-day recycling event for computers? The recycler should be able to document how they manage both the good AND the junk ones. Bidding out a curbside recycling program, collecting junk TVs from doorsteps every week (like Boston, MA)? Better spend the time to make sure the recycler can handle that amount of material, and buys the right insurance.
Other certification programs were also being offered in Washington on Monday, by ISRI, IAER, BAN and SVTC, for example. EPA may or may not endorse one standard, but sponsored the meeting to facilitate cooperation and consensus.
The World Reuse, Repair and Recycling Association (WR3A.org) was established in November 2004 to promote "Fair Trade" practices in recycling. Patterned after "Fair Trade Coffee" programs, the WR3A gets suppliers to meet with the buyers, and works out a "win win" trade agreement so that everyone gets what they bargained for, without the TAR. Demand and repair expertise are so great overseas that an "export ban" is will work about as well as growing all our coffee domestically, Ingenthron notes.
The Board of Directors of WR3A consists of former DEP regulator, a California university recycling program director, and a Digital Divide founder who distributes working computers on the Mexico border. It is funded primarily through donations from Good Point Recycling, an electronics recycler in Vermont.
Several of WR3A's members are based overseas. Refurbishing companies (including manufacturers who want to "take back" used electronics to the Asian factories where they were made) are desperate for quality surplus electronics, but unhappy with the sheer volume of unrepairable junk sent as "toxics along for the ride". They join WR3A to screen the loads they want to buy.
USA companies who have joined WR3A include several state and environmental agency contractors. Since they are already governed by civil law to properly manage the e-scrap they collect, these companies will move to the "Top Tier" of e-certified collection programs.
Colin Davis, the new Director of WR3A, coordinates communication between members who have pledged to follow WR3A standards. Following the successful path of Fair Trade Coffee, he is signing up universities and government surplus property programs who should care about how their material is handled. WR3A will try to match suppliers with companies who can certify their processes, and match those companies with legitimate end markets, domestically or overseas.
Author Information
Robin Ingenthron
World Reuse Repair and Recycling Assoc.
