Please note, as of August 2018, Cascade has been certified to e-Stewards Version 3.0, (and subsequently, 3.1) which introduces a number of more stringent requirements on processing to better protect our customers' liability interests as well as human health & the environment.

Cascade is a Certified e-Stewards and ISO 14001 Processor - all locations

See copies of our current e-Stewards Certifications for Madison (expires 8-30-2022) and Indianapolis (expires 8-27-2022).

What is the e-Stewards Certification program?
e-Stewards Certification is rapidly emerging as the leading global program designed to enable individuals and organizations who dispose of their old electronic equipment to easily identify recyclers that adhere to the highest standard of environmental responsibility and worker protection.  This program was developed under the leadership of the Basel Action Network (BAN), the non-profit organization that first exposed the horrors of the dumping of electronic waste on developing countries.

Certified e-Stewards recyclers adhere to the e-Stewards Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment®; written by the environmental community with leaders in the industry to protect human health and the global environment. While there are other guidelines written for the recycling industry, the e-Stewards Standard is unique in that it:

• Requires batteries be tested for functionality and pass at least a 10 minute load test
• Specifies air quality and noise testing requirements to better protect worker health and safety (new in version 2.0)
• Requires data security protocols be put in place for reusable and destroyed media (expanded in version 2.0)
• Requires a certified ISO 14001 environmental management system that builds in occupational health and safety requirements specific to the electronics recycling industry, minimizing exposure of recycling workers to hazards;
• Prohibits all toxic waste from being disposed of in solid waste landfills and incinerators;
• Requires full compliance with existing international hazardous waste treaties for exports and imports of electronics, and specifically prohibits the export of hazardous waste from developed to developing countries;
• Prohibits the use of prison labor in the recycling of toxic electronics, which often have sensitive data embedded;
• Demands the development and implementation of a robust data security program to ensure information is properly destroyed through electronic or physical means; and
• Requires extensive baseline protections for and monitoring of recycling workers in every country, including developed nations where toxic exposures are routinely taking place.

The e-Stewards certification program provides a high level of confidence that a recycler consistently conforms to the e-Stewards Standard.  Recyclers must be certified by accredited, independent and specially trained e-Stewards certification bodies, via rigorous, on-site audits that are performed at least once a year.

• e-Stewards certification bodies are fully accredited by the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB).
• A high standard of consistent auditor performance is assured across the program through a rigorous, professional auditor training program covering the certification program and requirements, international law and a recycling industry primer.

In addition, BAN provides constant oversight of all levels of the program (recyclers, auditor training, certification and accreditation bodies) to ensure on-going integrity of the certifications.

 

Wide support for e-Stewards Certification
The e-Stewards program is recognized widely by government agencies, private enterprises, and environmental organizations as the best means of vetting electronics recyclers.

The accredited, third-party audited certification program has not only been endorsed by Greenpeace USA, the Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the Electronics TakeBack Coalition and 68 other environmental organizations, but has also drawn the support of major corporate “e-Stewards Enterprises” including:

“Samsung is honored to be the first electronics manufacturer recognized with the e-Stewards standard for rigorous recycling and e-waste materials management,” said Mr. J.C. Ser, senior vice president for Samsung Electronics America. “This is a major validation of our efforts as we have responsibly recycled more than 20 million pounds of e-waste since the beginning of our Samsung Recycling Direct program in 2008, and plan to continue strengthening our commitment and leadership in this industry.” 

“The e-Stewards Enterprise program makes it easy for us to demonstrate that our electronic waste management standards are responsible and align with best practices. By using e-Stewards Recyclers, we know that our old computers and other electronics aren't going to be disposed of in a way that harms people or the environment and that, when possible, electronic components are recycled and reused,” said Mary Wenzel, director of Environmental Affairs, Wells Fargo.

 

Additional reasons to trust the e-Stewards program
Here are a few reasons that e-Stewards Certification is the industry’s highest assurance that e-waste is disposed of the right way:

• Top-to-bottom designed to solve the e-waste problem: e-Stewards Certification provides an end-to-end accountability trail that proves e-waste recycling is performed in a manner consistent with the core objectives of data security, health and worker safety, no export of toxic materials to developing countries, no prison labor and no dumping or incineration.
• Independent of industry interest groups: The e-Stewards Initiative is managed by an independent organization committed to solving the e-waste crisis.   While the engagement and support of leading recycling companies and industry experts helps ensure that the Standard remains practical and economically viable, the ultimate litmus test for every aspect of the Standard is the environmental and health goals that drive the need to have a standard in the first place.  The other major e-recycling standard in the United States is a much looser set of guidelines written to a large extent by the very industry that is at the core of the existing crisis.
  
• Rigorous verification system: Both the certification and accreditation programs were built with strong controls and oversight in order to create the highest level of confidence that a service provider consistently meets the e-Stewards Standard.

 

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The differences between e-Stewards and R2
If your organization is specifying that R2 is a requirement for services, why not demand more of your provider and ask for e-Stewards certification? Regardless, there's no reason to just require R2 certification from your ITAD vendor because e-Stewards is widely recognized as "R2 plus". e-Stewards certification meets all R2 requirements, and then some.