e-Cycle Urges Responsible Electronics Recycling in Wake of 17 Children Being Rescued from Alleged Hazardous Recycling Operation

HILLIARD, Ohio, June 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- e-Cycle, a leading mobile buyback and recycling company, is calling on businesses to use e-Stewards-certified companies for their e-cycling efforts to help prevent situations similar to the one that occurred this week in New Delhi, India, where 17 young children were found to be working in an allegedly hazardous and unsafe facility.

In addition, e-Cycle is making a donation to Cry - Child Rights and You on behalf of the rescued children, ranging in age from 6 to 13.

"We are saddened to learn that young children were forced to work in conditions potentially exposing them to harmful substances that could have longer-lasting effects on their health," said e-Cycle Founder and CEO Christopher Irion.

"This hazardous situation is unacceptable and should remind us of the important responsibility we all have to safely and responsibly recycle electronic waste. By working with a recycler that is e-Stewards certified, businesses and organizations can be certain they are recycling to the highest health, labor and environmental standards."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 70 to 80 percent of supposedly reputable electronics recycling companies in the U.S. are directly or indirectly (through downstream vendors) shipping e-waste into "toxic wastelands" in developing countries.

In addition, only a small percentage of e-waste is estimated to be sent to recyclers, as little as 11 to 14 percent in the U.S. The remainder is often dumped or burned in ways that can contaminate the soil, water and air. These inappropriate disposal methods fail to reclaim valuable materials or manage the toxic materials safely.

e-Stewards program is a globally recognized electronics recycling certification that prohibits landfilling and incineration of e-waste under any circumstances. The e-Stewards Standard bans the export of electronics to the developing world unless the devices contain "functioning, working products that have been tested." Recyclers who abide by the Standard must have stricter worker health and safety standards, covering substances such as brominated fire retardants, and must require air monitoring and sampling for toxins.

"On a positive note, more companies are initiating mobile recycling programs," Irion said. "Many, however, do not realize where their waste goes. By looking for the e-Stewards certification, organizations can make certain their e-waste and confidential information is handled and recycled in the safest manner possible."

Organizations and businesses can find an e-Stewards certified recycler at http://e-stewards.org/find-a-recycler/.

e-Cycle protects organizations' sensitive data while recycling their mobile devices to the highest standards of environmental responsibility and worker safety. Mobile asset recovery and reuse is a sound business practice because it reduces greenhouse gas emissions, saves energy, and the revenues from devices that retain resale value greatly offset the cost of upgrading to latest mobile technologies.

About e-Cycle

e-Cycle helps organizations take a more responsible, secure and profitable approach to wireless mobile phone recycling. e-Cycle collects used mobile devices from businesses and organizations, reimbursing them for devices that retain value and recycling all others at no charge. The information on every phone is either deleted or destroyed using the industry's most rigorous data security measures. Inc. ranked e-Cycle the #5 Fastest Growing Environmental Services Company in the U.S. and Forbes named e-Cycle the #68 Most Promising, Privately Held Company in America. In January 2012, e-Cycle became the first mobile buyback and recycling company in the world to become e-Stewards certified. For more information, visit http://www.e-Cycle.com.

For more information, contact:

Paulie Anthony
614-397-7490
[email protected] 
http://www.e-cycle.com 

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SOURCE e-Cycle