Did you know...
...most of US e.Scrap is exported to countries that do not take environmental or worker safety precautions?
There has been much talk and controversy about the export of electronic scrap. In many cases, when the U.S. ships used electronics to developing countries, such as India, China, Pakistan and Africa, there is no way to ensure that the e.Scrap will be managed responsibly - demanufactured and recycled with human health and the environment in mind. And, in many cases, we are finding that e.Scrap originating from America is contributing to significant environmental degradation.
A report entitled "Exporting Harm: The High-Tech Trashing of Asia" was released by the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition and the Basel Action Network (BAN) in 2002. It highlighted how much U.S. e.Scrap finds its way to developing countries, such as India and China, only to be mismanaged. The report brought to light piles of U.S. and European-originated electronics in open dumps. Workers were salvaging precious metals from the units without the proper clothing or equipment to protect them from exposure to lead or from harm from chemicals used to extract metals. In addition, the carcasses of the electronic devices were left to contaminate ground water and drinking water sources in the villages.
A second report was released by BAN in 2005 entitled "Digital Dump: Exporting Re-Use and Abuse to Africa". Once again, BAN exposed what happens to e.Scrap when it is shipped to Lagos, Africa, under the guise of reuse, when in fact, as much as 75% of the electronic devices are not in working order and must be simply thrown away. Since Africa has no sanitary waste system, open dumps line roadways in Africa, scavengers break them open to try to strip copper wiring, and the rest is burned in open dumps to reduce the piles. Burning sends many toxic pollutants into the air, affecting the health and well-being of the entire village. As a result of these findings, more and more individuals, companies and organizations are seeking ways to ensure that electronics discarded in the U.S. stay in the U.S. for proper recycling. There are legitimate export markets for useable or recyclable electronics, however, due diligence must be undertaken in order to ensure those markets are legitimate.
At one point, it was estimated that at least 75% of all U.S. domestic e.Scrap was going to overseas outlets. As awareness has grown, that percentage has slightly decreased. However, as more e.Scrap is managed domestically, especially equipment containing hazardous materials, the cost of management has also increased.
These six resources can help you develop strategies and policies for ensuring that e.Scrap is either restricted from export or exported only to legitimate markets.
Exporting Harm and Digital Dumping
Plug-In To e-Cycling Program - US EPA
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
Basel Convention
Indiana Resources for International Trade
Other International Trade Resources
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Program of the Indiana
Recycling Coalition |
