UK IT recycler claims e-waste first

The ITAD Works first in Europe to bag accreditation relating to how it deals with electronic waste

UK IT asset disposal (ITAD) outfit The ITAD Works claims it has scored an industry first by bagging an accreditation relating to how it deals with electronic waste.

UK waste and recycling companies have hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the past after hazardous e-waste from firms here has turned up in developing countries such as Ghana.

The ITAD Works claims it is the first organisation to become accredited as an e-Stewards Certified Recycler specifically for its European organisation. The standard requires mandatory adherence to ethical and responsible recycling and is enforced by industry experts, the company said.

The e-Stewards initiative is a project of the Basel Action Network (BAN), a non-profit US organisation based in Seattle.

BAN executive director Jim Puckett said: "Obtaining e-Stewards certification demonstrates that The ITAD Works Ltd has a continued commitment to globally responsible electronics recycling. As the first e-Stewards Recycler in Europe, The ITAD Works brings the highest e-waste standard for environmental stewardship to their customers."

Robin Gue, chairman of The ITAD Works, said: "Our clients have the assurance that the rigorous due diligence required to audit us has been done for them."

Talking to CRN, Steve Mellings, director of UK ITAD industry body ADISA, welcomed the emergence of the e-Stewards standard in Europe and said BAN's efforts were complementary to what ADISA is seeking to achieve.

"It is good to see that e-Stewards is beginning to come over to Europe," Mellings said, adding that The ITAD Works is also one of ADISA's members.

"Whereas we focus on how assets are recovered from the business, e-Stewards are strong on what happens once the assets have been recovered and recycled. They are very strong in the management of downstream waste."