Certifications: what we hold, what we do not, and why it matters
Or call the buying desk: (732) 996-6310
What each certification actually covers
R2 and e-Stewards are the two US programs the EPA recognizes. R2v3 is the current revision of the R2 standard. Both programs apply to a processing facility, at a specific address, and the certificate is specific to that facility. NAID AAA, run by i-SIGMA, covers data destruction only and uses unannounced audits. NIST SP 800-88 is a guideline, not a certification, and anyone may claim alignment with it.
| Program | What it covers | Do we hold it? |
|---|---|---|
| R2v3 | The current revision of the R2 standard. One of the two US programs the EPA recognizes. It applies to a processing facility, at a specific address, and the certificate is specific to that facility. | No. |
| e-Stewards | The other US program the EPA recognizes. It applies to a processing facility, at a specific address, and the certificate is specific to that facility. | No. |
| NAID AAA | Run by i-SIGMA. It covers data destruction only, and it uses unannounced audits. | No. |
| NIST SP 800-88 | A guideline, not a certification. Anyone may claim alignment with it. | There is nothing to hold. It is not a certification. |
Why a buyer is a different role from a processor
A processing facility takes custody of material to sanitize, dismantle or recycle it. We purchase working and repairable hardware to resell it. Those are different activities and they carry different obligations. A certificate that attests to a shredding line tells you nothing about whether a buyer will pay you.
What a buyer does, and we do
- Purchase a lot outright and take title to it
- Price mixed grades, including cosmetically damaged and non-working units
- Book the carrier and move the hardware off your site
- Resell working and repairable hardware into a trade channel
- Pay you on agreed terms
What a processor does, and we do not
- Sanitize, degauss or shred storage media
- Issue a certificate of destruction or a certificate of recycling
- Dismantle hardware to material streams
- Hold an R2v3, e-Stewards or NAID AAA certificate for a named facility
- Offer an audited custody record from your dock to a final processor
What we can and cannot do about the data on the drives is set out separately.
Routing a lot through a certified processor
Routing a lot through a certified processor is available on request. We name the processor for that specific job, in writing, before the collection is booked. We do not publish a partner list on this page, because a facility name and a certificate number are only worth anything against the job they cover. A processor named for one contract in one year tells you nothing about the lot leaving your building next month.
- 1
Say what the policy requires
Name the certification your policy asks for when you send the list, and say which part of the lot it applies to.
- 2
We name the processor in writing
You get the facility name, the standard it is certified to, and the certificate number, before the collection is booked.
- 3
You check it in the registry
Search the facility name in the registry for that program and confirm the certificate covers the address the material is going to.
- 4
The lot moves on that route
Nothing is collected until the route is agreed. If we cannot name a processor for your project we say so and you use a certified processor direct.
The check in step three is the same one we would run. The three registries are listed below, and they are the record, not us.
How to check any certificate yourself
- R2: sustainableelectronics.org, opens in a new tab
- e-Stewards: e-stewards.org, opens in a new tab
- NAID AAA: isigmaonline.org, opens in a new tab
Search the facility name. If the certificate is real it is in the registry, and the registry tells you which address it covers. Run the same search on us and you will find nothing, which is the point of this page.
The company itself is a matter of public record in New Jersey rather than in any of the three registries above: search SJ Wholesale LLC in the New Jersey business name registry, opens in a new tab.
Certificate fraud is a real risk in this industry
Certificate fraud is a documented risk in this industry. Forged certificates, expired certificates presented as current, and certificates that belong to a different facility all circulate. The R2v3 mark may only be displayed by a certified facility and only specific to that facility. A company displaying the mark without holding it is a common misrepresentation in this business.
That is why there are no certification logos anywhere on this website, and why every reference above is a plain text link into a registry you can search yourself. A mark on a page proves nothing. A row in the registry does.
When you should not use us
If your project requires a certified processor, use one. That includes:
- a regulated healthcare or financial data set where your policy names R2v3 or e-Stewards
- a contract that requires a certified chain of custody end to end
- material that is genuinely end-of-life and needs recycling rather than resale
- any case where your own auditor requires the processing facility itself to be certified
Tell us and we will say so plainly rather than take the job.
Still want an offer? Send the list.
Send a list, get an offer
Send a list. We come back inside 24 hours with a written offer.
Get an offer
Send a list. We come back inside 24 hours with a written offer, and we say so plainly if a certified processor is the right answer instead.