The Washington-based Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI) has adopted a new policy on e-waste exports.

The policy bans ISRI members from shipping e-waste for disposal or incineration overseas, and it states that overseas sites that recycle e-waste must have “verifiable” health and safety standards.

“The ISRI Board voted today to adopt an aggressive, forward-looking policy that puts forth a safe, responsible and legal framework for electronics recycling both at home and abroad,” said ISRI President Robin Wiener in a press release. “Among other provisions, the policy bans the export of electronic equipment and components for landfilling or incineration … and requires that facilities outside the U.S. that recycle or refurbish electronics have a documented, verifiable environmental, health and worker safety system in place.”

ISRI says its new policy closely mirrors the standards outlined in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Responsible Recycling Program, which was established in 2008. The program can be read on the EPA's Web site.

“The policy adopted … by the ISRI Board of Directors embodies the most environmentally sustainable and realistic approach to electronic scrap recycling,” Wiener added in the release. “This is a responsible, safe and legal approach to electronics recycling that protects worker health and safety, as well as ensuring environmentally sustainable practices that can actually deal with this global issue.”

For more information about ISRI's new policy, visit www.ISRI.org and click on the “News and Information” link.

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