epa certification

PROTECTING YOUR DATA IS OUR BUSINESS
PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT IS EVERYONE'S BUSINESS

FOUNDED IN 1990, BACK THRU THE FUTURE IS ONE OF THE OLDEST AND LARGEST COMPUTER RECYCLING FACILITIES ON THE EAST COAST

A FEDERAL EPA AND NJ DEP REGISTERED
ELECTRONIC RECYCLING COMPANY

(Member Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries ISRI)
(Member National Association for Information Destruction NAID)
(Member Information Systems Security Association ISSA)

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY EPA COMPLIANCE?

The State of New Jersey's Department of Environmental Protection has identified non reusable consumer electronics (any device containing an electronic circuit board) as "Universal Waste". Universal waste is a Federal EPA classification for a particular type of hazardous waste. Universal waste regulations are standardized and legally recognized by all 50 States. The States can individually decide what products belong in this classification. New Jersey, Connecticut, California, and Colorado are the only States that have identified all consumer electronics. A number of other States have specifically identified monitors as universal waste.

Universal waste regulations require any entity involved with the handling, storage or disposal of universal waste in excess of 100 kilograms (about 220 pounds), to follow prescribed handling and documentation procedures. Any entity located in the State of NJ that handles very large quantities of universal waste in excess of 5000 kilograms (about 11,000 pounds) must register with both the Federal EPA and NJ DEP as a "large volume universal waste handler". The Federal EPA provides a unique identification code to large volume handlers. This registration and code are submitted to the NJ DEP along with certain other information and the State of NJ DEP registers the large volume handler as an authorized NJ based handling facility. The facility is then subject to semi-annual NJ DEP inspections.

Back Thru The Future Computer Recycling Inc is registered with both the Federal EPA and NJ DEP as a Large Volume Universal Waste Handler. For lack of a more descriptive term we identify this required registration process as certification.

WHY IS THIS LEGALLY IMPORTANT TO YOU?

Universal Waste regulations require anyone transferring or disposing of more than 100 kilograms of universal waste to transfer or dispose of it only to a registered universal waste handler or hazardous waste handler. The disposing entity must document this event in a proscribed manner. The documentation must include the name of the registered handler and the physical address of where the universal waste was sent and the unique registration code provided by the Federal EPA. The documentation must also include the physical location the waste was picked up from, the type and quantity of waste and the date as well as your organizations name. This document must be retained in file for a period of three years after the transfer or disposal. These are clearly defined legal requirements.

Most states have no legal electronic disposal requirements. Thus, electronic recycling facilities located in these states have no legal authority to provide EPA compliance certification. If for any reason your organization is brought to court for improper electronic disposal practices, a certificate of compliance from a recycling organization that is in a State that does not have specific legal certification requirements, the certificate is worthless. Back Thru The Future Computer Recycling Inc.'s Certificate of Compliance is a legal compliance document in all 50 States.

IF I'M IN A STATE WITH NO LEGAL DISPOSAL REQUIREMENTS WHY SHOULD I CARE?

Interstate commerce regulations require that you must be in compliance with the solid waste regulations of the State in which the waste is eventually disposed in, not the state that you shipped the waste from. Once your obsolete electronics are removed from your facility, you have no control over where they will eventually wind up. A significant majority of obsolete corporate electronics are reused not recycled. In other words, the eventual disposal will occur well after you retire the items and it will probably occur in another State or country.

In addition to the required universal waste compliance documentation, Back Thru The Future Computer Recycling provides a detailed audit report identifying every item received by, manufacturer, model, description, serial number, condition and whether the item was recycled or reused. In the event a reused item is eventually improperly disposed of, and you are challenged on the basis of a serial number being traced back to you as the original owner, our detailed EPA audit report will provide you with the legal evidence of your proper disposal practices.