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On October 20, 2008, eBay announced it would ban the sale of ivory and products made from ivory on its site. The policy change was initiated after a report was published by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) claiming that eBay was responsible for almost two-thirds of the trade in illegal animal products online.
eBay knows the sale of ivory is a complicated and highly regulated business. Difficulties in verifying the source and in complying with a wide range of international laws, regulations, and treaties, led eBay to ban the cross-border sale of ivory in 2007. Still, IFAW found that this measure was not sufficient to stop the sale of illegal wildlife products.
The IFAW study traced 7,000 product listings on 183 websites in 11 countries. It found that 70% of sales were made within the United States. Sales of ivory comprised 73% of all sales and most of these, IFAW found, took place on eBay.
When announcing the new policy, eBay spokesman Richard Brewer-Hay, admitted that the company's previous measures had not gone far enough and that new efforts must be made to halt the sale of ivory and other illegal wildlife products through the site. The new policy, which was applauded by the IFAW, will take effect in January 2009. The sale of antique ivory items, those manufactured before 1900, will still be allowed.
For more environmental news, check out Focus Earth: October 25, 2008 and Focus on Focus Earth: The Green New Deal
Related reading on ivory and eBay:
Illegal Ivory Trade Increases
This Looks Better Than Ivory
Killing Rare Animals Funds Terror
Now That's Poopy: Ebay Bans Reusable Diapers
eBay Your Way to a Greener Earth
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