Electronic waste (E-Waste) includes discarded computers and other consumer electronics including items like laptops, personal computers, televisions, and cell phones. Within the last two decades, e-waste has also become the fastest growing portion of our solid waste stream because massive piles of electronics present other problems for all life on earth because there are toxics in all computers and the piles keep growing. These electronics contain some toxics such as lead, mercury, cadmium, nickel, zinc, and brominated flame retardants. So how is the United States coping with the problem?
According to the India’s Department of Scientific and Industrial Research the amount of electronics imported to their country is increasing by 10% per year. Other firms export to other places such as unregulated toxic waste dumps in China. These toxic wastes ultimately pollute the land water and air causing cancers and miscarriages. One then turns into the federal level and wonder if there any proper U.S. policy in place that addresses e-waste?
The answer is no, with the country’s inadequate “recycling policies, short useful life-span, and high costs of recycling these products” only leaves firms with no concern for their adverse impacts on the environment and public health and disregard of them and their byproducts throughout the product’s life as cheaply possible.
The only solution we have until the federal government figures a policy for e-waste, “the best bets for responsible recycling come from industry groups like the e-Stewards certification of electronics recyclers, which requires recyclers to abide by five rules: No incinerating or land filling waste; no exporting; no prison or forced labor; protecting private data on discarded machines; and managing environmental data at dismantling facilities and across the supply chain.”
Eliana Sejas
I completely agree that this is a huge issue, not only for the environment but the health of the people living within these developing nations as well. European and U.S. companies faced with higher costs and taxes for waste disposal and recycling do ship their waste overseas to Africa, China, India and Indonesia. Indeed, some of this waste from the companies is sent to qualified recyclers; however, a large number of this waste is illegal and often ends up in the hands of the poor who shuffle through the waste which is often toxic hoping to find things of value. “The European Union, which has strict recycling laws for electronics, saw only two to three million tons of electronic waste turning in for recycling at facilities last year, not the anticipated seven million (Collins 1).” Environmental experts think the rest of the waste was dumped overseas, illegally. Meaning that the world poor are at high risk for health problems because developed nations cannot curb their consumerism.
ReplyDeleteThis article is very useful and explains some more on your topic.
http://greenlegals.com/2009/09/europe-exporting-more-waste-to-
less-developed-nations.
It is disheartening to find that the Successful U.S. and European Countries are ignoring regulations of exporting hazardous materials overseas. This seems to me like a huge environmental justice issue that needs to be addressed ASAP. However, according to some sources the EPA is "turning a blind eye". Like you said your blog, a lot of the parts are being shipped over to poorer countries, where the electronic devices are being torn apart for materials and of things of value. One of the greatest potential hazards involved with this is the exportation of Cathode-Ray Tubes, that are found in computer monitors and TV's that are being shipped overseas. A study has shown that these tubes can contain up to 4 pounds of lead! and have significant environmental and health impacts when broken down. CRT's have been regulated by the EPA since January of 2007, and state that the country that is expected to export such materials must give the EPA 60 days notice prior to shipment and the EPA must receive permission from the receiving country and give the final go ahead before shipment is allowed. The problem with this process is that it relies on self reporting by companies, and many companies are not complying with the process, as stated by the GAO.A lot of talk has gone on with the EPA and the GAO with reference to this process. To learn more, I found this website which is really interesting:http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2330619,00.asp
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