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The Western District of Washington United States Attorney’s Office (“U.S. Attorney) issued an April 23rd news release announcing two individuals had been sentenced in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 28 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

The U.S. Attorney states that Craig Lorch and Jeff Zirkle are the owners and Chief Executive Officers of Total Reclaim which is described as the Northwest’s largest recycler of electronic waste.

The individuals are stated to have committed through Total Reclaim to recycle safely electronic products such as flat screen monitors. The news release further states in part that:

. . .In marketing Total Reclaim’s services, Lorch and Zirkle warned that the products contained hazardous materials that can cause serious health conditions if processed in unsafe conditions such as those that exist in developing countries in Asia. Lorch and Zirkle promised customers that Total Reclaim with not export electronic waste to developing countries. But, in fact, the defendant secretly caused over 8 million pounds of mercury-containing flat screen monitors to be exported to Hong Kong, where they were demolished in an environmentally unsafe manner.

Total Reclaim is described as formerly the biggest participant in “E-Cycle Washington.” This program was created by the Washington legislature to provide for the safe recycling of hazardous electronic products.

A copy of the news release can be downloaded here.