TechTurn is committed to practicing the highest standards of responsible recycling. This commitment is grounded in a business and compliance model that promotes re-use, encourages reduction of waste, and ensures proper recycling of non-reusable materials. As a result of TechTurn’s environmental leadership, TechTurn has become the trusted industry leader and recycling partner for many of the largest and most respected corporate brands in the world.

 

TechTurn supports and complies with the Responsible Recycling (R2) Practices, drafted with and supported by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. The Responsible Recycling (R2) Practices for Use in Accredited Certification Programs (PDF) is a set of guidelines for accredited certification programs to assess electronics recyclers’ environmental, worker health and safety, and security practices. Since January 2006, the EPA has facilitated a multi-stakeholder group to develop this document, which was finalized on October 30, 2008. The voluntary R2 practices include general principles and specific practices for recyclers disassembling or reclaiming used electronics equipment including those electronics that are exported for refurbishment and recycling.

 

TechTurn is ISO 9001, 14001 and OHSAS 18001 certified. Beyond being certified, TechTurn utilizes the principles and practices of ISO to maintain the industry’s highest standards for operational excellence and continuous improvement. TechTurn’s certified Environmental, Health, and Safety Management System (EHSMS) provides a foundation and process to safely and properly manage the flow of materials through its factories and through its audited partner’s factories. TechTurn utilizes this management system to facilitate its environmental principles which ensures that:

 

1)     TechTurn maximizes the reuse of retired IT assets through refurbishing, rebuilding, repairing and harvesting functional parts from recovered materials, and only sells functional and complete computer systems or parts to its remarketing customers.

2)     None of the IT equipment or components are disposed of (i.e., thrown away or discarded) and all of the IT equipment and all of the IT equipment’s components are recycled and/or destroyed in accordance with all applicable rules, regulations, laws, ordinances, and statutes.

3)     Neither TechTurn nor its recycling partners export non-functional computer systems or parts to non-OECD countries.

 

TechTurn certifies all of its recycling partners through an extensive annual audit that includes a thorough questionnaire and checklist of requirements.   Upon successful completion of the detailed audit, TechTurn also requires its recycling partners to sign a contract binding them to TechTurn’s environmental principles. Additionally, and as necessary, TechTurn further audits any down-stream partners of its first level recycling partners, often two and three levels down; and tracks and documents all materials shipped to these partners to ensure that all materials are properly accounted for and fully recycled.

 

Moreover, TechTurn carries $20 million of errors & omission insurance and $10 million of pollution insurance, which provides additional assurance and protection to our clients.