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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> Basel Action Network [mailto:inform@ban.org] <br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, September 16, 2011 10:44 PM<br><b>To:</b> recycle@naturalevolution.com<br><b>Subject:</b> First Criminal Charges Brought Against e-Waste Exporter<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><img width=1 height=1 id="_x0000_i1025" src="http://e2ma.net/oz/7203345041/208673029/1400891/spacer.gif"><img width=1 height=1 id="_x0000_i1026" src="http://e2ma.net/oz/7203345041/208673029/1400891/spacer.gif"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:dimgray'>If you're having trouble viewing this email, you may <a href="http://e2ma.net/map/view:CampaignPublic/id:1400891.7203345041/rid=e84fde9c6d1a4bd655b08f171ff0836d"><span style='color:dimgray'>see it online</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr><td width="100%" style='width:100.0%;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:dimgray'>Share This: <a href="http://social.e2ma.net/next/e/1400891/3daf63b56df6a8177f3e4d5531bec6eb/7203345041/?mrid=e84fde9c6d1a4bd655b08f171ff0836d"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img 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style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;background:#333333'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;background:white'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><img border=0 id="_x0000_i1031" src="http://e2ma.net/userdata/1400891/images/e1251478899.jpg"><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%;background:white'><tr><td style='padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt'><div><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td valign=top style='padding:3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt 3.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=right style='text-align:right'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><strong><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>First Federal Criminal Charges Brought Against </span></strong><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'><br><strong><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Recycler for Exporting Toxic e-Waste</span></strong></span></b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><em><b><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Global Dumping Exposed by Environmentalists and CBS’s 60 Minutes</span></b></em><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><strong><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Denver, CO, September 16, 2011 --</span></strong><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> After 30 months of investigations, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and EPA Criminal Investigation Division handed down multiple criminal charges today against two executives of Executive Recycling Inc., a Denver, Colorado electronics recycling firm. The government first became aware of the alleged violations following an investigation by the Basel Action Network (BAN), a Seattle based organization dedicated to combating toxic trade. The investigation became highly publicized after BAN worked with CBS’s <em><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>60 Minutes</span></em> news magazine in an episode entitled “The Wasteland.” It is the first instance that criminal charges have been brought against an e-waste exporter. </span><br><br><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>In 2007 and 2008, BAN volunteers photographed 21 sea-going containers at Executive Recycling’s loading docks that they subsequently tracked across the world, with most ending up in China. BAN then alerted the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and <em><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>60 Minutes</span></em>, and together the groups documented US businesses posing as responsible electronics recyclers but who instead were simply shipping e-waste to developing countries where it was processed in deadly, highly polluting operations. The resulting <em><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>60 Minutes</span></em> episode has since become one of the most popular and award winning in the program’s history.</span><br><br><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>“<em><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>This is a major victory for global environmental justice</span></em>,” said BAN Executive Director Jim Puckett. “<em><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Even before we have a US law in place to explicitly prohibit this dumping on developing countries, the US government’s criminal justice system has recognized the massive toxic trade we first discovered in 2001 as fraudulent, as smuggling, and as an environmental crime. Now these sham recyclers are warned: their shameful practices can land them in jail.</span></em>”</span><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Currently, legislation has been proposed in both the US House of Representatives and the Senate to prohibit the export of toxic electronic waste to developing countries. Such an export prohibition already exists in Europe. The US has been behind in enacting such rules, and in 2008, the U.S. Government Accounting Office (GAO) was highly critical of the EPA and uncontrolled e-waste exports in a strongly worded report. EPA enforcers themselves have lamented that the US lacks clear laws to combat the global e-waste dumping practice. </span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>According to the federal grand jury indictment, Executive Recycling was responsible for at least 300 exports, including shipments of more than 100,000 toxic cathode ray tubes that netted the company $1.8 million. Executive’s CEO, Mr. Brandon Richter, together with Mr. Tor Olson, Vice President of Operations, were indicted on 16 separate counts including wire and mail fraud, environmental crimes, exportation contrary to law, and destruction, alteration, or falsification of records.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Executive Recycling still operates in the Denver area and has had e-waste recycling contracts with the cities of Denver, Boulder, and Broomfield and the El Paso County and Jefferson County governments. It is registered with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment as a “Large Quantity Handler of Universal Waste.” </span><br><br><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>“<em><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Sadly, Executive Recycling is just the tip of the e-waste iceberg,</span></em>” said Puckett. “<em><span style='font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>They are but one of hundreds of fake recyclers who sell greenness and responsibility but in fact practice global dumping. This is why we must pass federal legislation prohibiting this activity. And this is why all those disposing of electronic waste should use only Certified e-Stewards® Recyclers who will not export your old toxic computer or TV to a developing country.</span></em>” </span><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>For more information contact: </span><br><br><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>Jim Puckett, Executive Director, BAN. Phone: 206.354.0391, e-mail: <a href="mailto:jpuckett@ban.org">jpuckett@ban.org</a></span><br><br><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>For a copy of the indictment: <a href="http://e2ma.net/go/7203345041/208673029/224711876/1400891/goto:http:/www.ban.org/Library/Executive_Indictment.pdf">www.ban.org/Library/Executive_Indictment.pdf</a></span><br><br><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>To view CBS’s 60 Minutes Episode, The Wasteland: <a href="http://e2ma.net/go/7203345041/208673029/224711877/1400891/goto:http:/www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5274959n">http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5274959n</a></span> <a href="http://e2ma.net/go/7203345041/208673029/224711878/1400891/goto:http:/www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=5274959n"><br></a><br><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>For a copy of the GAO report: <a href="http://e2ma.net/go/7203345041/208673029/224711879/1400891/goto:http:/ban.org/library/gao_report.pdf">http://ban.org/library/gao_report.pdf</a></span><br><br><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>For more about e-Stewards Certified Recyclers visit: <a href="http://e2ma.net/go/7203345041/208673029/224711880/1400891/goto:http:/www.e-Stewards.org">www.e-Stewards.org</a></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><br><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr><td valign=top style='background:white;padding:6.0pt 6.0pt 6.0pt 6.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#999999'>206 1st Ave South Suite 410 | Seattle, WA 98104 US</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div></td></tr><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:#666666'>This email was sent to <strong><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><a href="mailto:recycle@naturalevolution.com"><span style='font-weight:normal'>recycle@naturalevolution.com</span></a></span></strong>. 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