EPA Recognizes E-Waste and Responsible Electronics Recycling Companies as an Environmental Priority

HOUSTON, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- This summer, the EPA made several landmark announcements, recognizing the growing importance of e-waste as a national environmental priority and recognizing e-Stewards environmental certification.

"I am encouraged by the recent announcement of the EPA that e-waste is now one of their top six global priorities," says Mike Buckles, president and founder of Technocycle, a Houston-based computer recycling center. "It's beneficial that the EPA is now bringing this issue into focus for Americans. Managing our e-waste domestically not only makes us more responsible stewards of our own waste, but also creates local jobs benefitting local communities."

In July, the EPA formally recognized e-Stewards certified companies as responsible electronics recyclers. Companies that meet the e-Stewards requirements guarantee to use safe and responsible computer recycling practices. The standards are rigorous--Technocycle is one of only four e-Steward recyclers in all of Texas.

Later this summer, the EPA again highlighted the importance of responsible computer recycling when its chief administrator Lisa Jackson declared that preventing e-waste was one the US's six top global environmental priorities. According to the EPA's announcement, e-waste ranks in importance with reducing carbon emissions, improving air quality, improving water quality, reducing toxic exposures and building stronger institutional frameworks.

Technocycle agrees that this is one of the biggest environmental priorities. "This announcement supports the efforts of responsible electronic recyclers who refuse to export e-waste into developing countries. All too often this exported e-waste is robbed of its valuable components, with the remainder of unwanted material carelessly discarded, causing lasting environmental damage," states Buckles.

The negative effects of e-waste on developing countries has come to the attention in recent years of the EPA and the public through the work of the Basel Action Network (BAN), an organization dedicated to fighting e-waste, and recent media exposes on the dangers of e-waste, such as the 60 Minutes segment on unethical computer recycling in 2008.

About Technocycle

Technocycle is an electronics recycler based in Houston, TX with over a decade of experience in servicing the recycling needs of businesses and communities.  As a qualified e-Steward electronic recycler, Technocycle is part of an elite group of North American electronic recyclers that uphold the highest standards of electronic recycling.

Contact: Mike Buckles, Technocycle President, 1-713-895-7409, [email protected]

SOURCE Technocycle