Processor loses certification due to exports to Asia
Karin Harris, president of eGreen IT Solutions, argues that her company should’ve been alerted after BAN determined that it sent a printer from an unapproved immediate downstream process. | KG Design/Shutterstock
Arizona-based eGreen IT Solutions had its eStewards certification revoked after GPS trackers detected overseas printer shipments. The company says it did not “knowingly” break rules.
The certification of the e–scrap processor was withdrawn after it was found to have two critical nonconformities and other violations to the e–Stewards standards.
After the Basel Action Network (BAN), who administers the e-Stewards Certification Program (e-Stewards Certification Program), investigated the company’s use of GPS trackers, the decision was taken. An additional investigation found other violations of the standards. Evidentiary report.
Karin Harris, president of eGreen IT Solutions, told E-Scrap News that the company has been certified with e-Stewards for 12 years and “we did not knowingly or intentionally violate the e-Stewards Standard.” She added that she feels the company is being “unfairly scapegoated” and that she has always promoted the use of trackers to ensure proper e-scrap disposal.
“We believe that it is important to work together with industry stakeholders and certification bodies to ensure that responsible e-waste management practices are being followed,” she said in a statement. “We acknowledge that there were issues with our downstream provider, and we regret that these issues resulted in the withdrawal of our e-Stewards Certification.”
Material ends up as a Southeast Asian product
BAN installed two computer printers equipped with GPS trackers in 2021 and delivered them to eGreen IT Solutions. The printers were transferred from eGreen in Phoenix, to Olgin Efune Recycling Company in California, and then to eGreen IT Solutions in the Philippines.
The report noted that eGreen spent 20 months trying to approve OERC as an immediate downstream processor but was shipping printers to them prior to approval, “and at least by 7/4/22 knew OERC exported printers to Malaysia.”
The report also addressed data security concerns.
BAN withdrew eGreen IT Solutions’ e-Stewards license for a minimum of two years as of March 2, 2023. The company can apply again for certification after March 2, 2020.
Harris said she and her company “remain committed to promoting environmentally and socially responsible e-waste management practices. We hope that we can work together with BAN and other industry stakeholders to address any concerns and continue promoting responsible e-waste management practices.”
She added that she will be maintaining eGreen’s ISO 14001 and NAID AAA certifications “and will continue to work towards meeting the requirements of the e-Stewards Certification Program without the ‘certificate.’”
Investigation details
Documents eGreen submitted to BAN in the course of the investigation included requests for OERC to be added as an immediate downstream provider on March 20, 2021 and July 4, 2021. Outbound reports were also sent by eGreen indicating that 1,982 pounds worth of printers were shipped to OERC from June 10, 2021 through at least Dec. 13, 2021 despite not being approved.
“Sixteen months after beginning their IDP approval process, eGreen still had not approved OERC, but could see that printers were being ‘shipped as is’ to Malaysia,” BAN’s evidentiary report stated.
The second printer ended in a Malaysian greenspace, and was still signaling at May 2022, according to the report.
eGreen’s downstream disposition chart did not indicate that any printers were being transferred to OERC or exported out of the U.S., but rather listed OERC as the end of the recycling chain for eGreen’s ferrous and non-ferrous materials only, the report states.
Another concern for BAN is data security, because OERC stated in its eGreen Downstream Provider Questionnaire that they shipped printers “as is” to Port Klang West in Malaysia and eGreen did not provide evidence to BAN that it sanitized data or ensured that OERC sanitized data.
BAN said the contract with OERC was also “wholly inadequate” and appeared to be based on an old version of the e-Stewards Standard. A February 2022 formal audit found a non-conformity in downstream due diligence. It stated that initial due diligence and subsequent annual desktop audits were not possible for nine downstream providers. However, the issue was finally resolved with a plan.
The report pointed out that eGreen had been given multiple opportunities for countering evidence and explanations.
Harris stated that she didn’t intend for the printers sent to OERC before they approved them as an immediate downstream provider. It was an internal misunderstanding. She said that BAN was more concerned with making scapegoats and publicly shame eGreen than actually working to fix the problem.
“While we understand the concerns raised by BAN regarding the export of our materials to unapproved Immediate Downstream Providers and ultimately to locations outside of the United States, we believe that our company is being unfairly scapegoated in this situation,” she said.
She stated that BAN would have been more helpful in alerting her after the first printer was traced to an unapproved location. This would have prevented the second printer also from being shipped overseas.
“We were alerted by the certifying body of this when remedying the situation was too late of an option,” Harris said. “We believe this matter could’ve been handled more professionally, not only by our parties involved but also with the certifying body who worked more to publicly castigate than to empower a decade-long e-Stewards partner.”
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