  Electron capture by {\it isolated} atoms and ions proceeds by
photorecombination. In this process a species captures a free electron by
emitting a photon which carries away the excess energy. It is shown here that
in the presence of an {\it environment} a competing non-radiative electron
capture process can take place due to long range electron correlation. In this
interatomic (intermolecular) process the excess energy is transferred to
neighboring species. The asymptotic expression for the cross section of this
process is derived. We demonstrate by explicit examples that under realizable
conditions the cross section of this interatomic process can clearly dominate
that of photorecombination.
