PHILADELPHIA, PA--(Marketwired - Apr 18, 2013) - Basel Action Network (BAN), an environmental organization and the creator of the e-Stewards® certification, announced today that ECOvanta, the electronic waste (e-waste) recycling subsidiary of Covanta Energy Corporation located in Philadelphia, has achieved e-Stewards® certification. e-Stewards is the leading global certification designed to enable individuals and organizations to easily identify e-waste recyclers, asset recovery companies, processors and others that adhere to the highest standard of environmental responsibility and worker protection.
e-Stewards recyclers process all hazardous e-waste in developed countries, do not use municipal solid waste facilities, and do not use prison labor operations for hazardous materials. Further, they ensure that data found in customer hardware is fully protected from release. The e-Stewards Certification is supported by over 70 environmental organizations, and more than 50 large business enterprises and cities including Bank of America, Boeing, Bloomberg, Nestle, San Francisco, Samsung and LG.
"We welcome ECOvanta into the growing ranks of truly responsible e-cyclers," said Jim Puckett, executive director of BAN. "Only certified e-Stewards recyclers ensure customers that their hazardous electronic waste is not exported to developing countries and will be recycled in accordance with the most secure practices in the world."
ECOvanta is a state-of-the-art recycling facility serving the e-waste recycling needs of communities, businesses and government organizations throughout the Mid-Atlantic, New York/New Jersey and New England regions. The facility recycles e-waste such as computers, monitors, mobile phones, printers and televisions. It safely manages end-of-life electronics using a combination of manual disassembly and an automated shredding system to separate materials into commodities for recycling. ECOvanta also offers secure destruction services for customers who require assured and certified destruction of their electronic equipment.
"ECOvanta is proud to be named an e-Stewards certified electronic recycler," said Gordon Burgoyne, ECOvanta's director of e-waste business development. "These rigorous third-party audits ensure that e-waste is being handled responsibly. We are dedicated to going above and beyond to ensure that we are operating in the most sustainable and secure way possible."
About ECOvanta
ECOvanta is an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling business owned by Covanta Energy Corporation, a world leader in sustainable waste management and renewable energy. Located in Philadelphia, PA, ECOvanta provides a one-source solution for responsible and sustainable e-waste recycling and secure destruction services. ECOvanta has been awarded e-Stewards, Responsible Recycling (R2) and ISO 14001:2004 certifications after completing a third-party auditing process. For more information, visit www.ecovanta.com .
About Basel Action Network
Founded in 1997, the Basel Action Network is a 501(c)3 charitable organization of the United States, based in Seattle, WA. BAN is the world's only organization focused on confronting the global environmental justice and economic inefficiency of toxic trade and its devastating impacts. Today BAN serves as the information clearinghouse on the subject of waste trade for journalists, academics, and the general public. Through its investigations, BAN uncovered the tragedy of hazardous electronic waste dumping in developing countries. For more information see: www.BAN.org .
About e-Stewards® Certification
The e-Stewards Certification program, created by the Basel Action Network (BAN), formally recognizes electronic recyclers that adhere to environmentally and socially responsible practices when recovering hazardous electronic materials. It is the first such program backed by environmental organizations and major corporations alike. The accredited third-party audited certification program is supported by the USEPA and is endorsed by Greenpeace USA, the Sierra Club, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Electronics Take Back Coalition and 68 other environmental organizations. It has also drawn the public support of major corporate "e-Stewards Enterprises" including Alcoa, Samsung, Bank of America, Capital One Financial Corp. and Wells Fargo. For more information see: www.e-stewards.org .
