REPORT / INTERNATIONAL NEWS

In an editorial published in the December's issue of E-Scrap News, authored by Good Point Recycling and American Retroworks owner and CEO, Robin Ingenthron, called the Basal Action Network (BAN) "false and damaging to our integrity." In his Talking Points piece, Ingenthron, who is also the founder of The World Reuse, Repair and Recycling Association (WR3A), raised his concerns about the effect BAN's e-Stewards certification program would have on refurbishment. BAN's executive director, Jim Puckett, noted that the editorial had several factual inaccuracies

BAN members alleged that Ingenthron was not aware of the latest clarifications by convention stakeholders with regard to exports of e-waste for repair. "The truth is Robin has been trotting out his own very self-serving interpretation of the Basel Convention," Puckett continued, "unaware that the Basel Parties have carefully examined the issue and created guidelines that refute his notion that export for repair is outside of the Convention."

In clarifying the Mobile Phone Partnership Initiative (MPPI) Guideline negotiations, Puckett says that all of the Basel Parties at the table agreed that whenever an export takes place for repair and hazardous parts are discarded, they fall under the Convention. BAN incorporated that guidance now adopted by 172 countries into the e-Steward Standard.

In one particularly contentious part of his original Talking Points editorial, Ingenthron accused BAN of being responsible for Malaysia's decision last year to prohibit importation of U.S. CRT glass. Puckett contests that claim, making available a letter which shows that he had instead offered Malaysia a legal way to continue such import, but Malaysia refused to accept it.