Recycling Groups Say Gov't Should Not Export E-Waste to Developing Countries
On March 1, 2011, the Interagency Task Force on Electronics Stewardship issued a request for comments to help in its development of a national framework and recommendations for improving Federal stewardship of used electronics. The task force is scheduled to deliver the national framework in May 2011.
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(In November 2011, President Obama issued a proclamation on electronics recycling and announced the creation of the task force. See ITT’s Online Archives or 11/17/10 and 11/18/10 news, 10111718 and 10111860, for BP summaries.)
No Federal Mandates Require or Restrict Electronics Recycling
The task force, which is led by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), stated in its request that there are currently no federal mandates that require electronics recycling or restrict unwanted electronics equipment from solid waste landfills in the U.S.
EPA does, however, control how cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors (e.g., from TV and computers) that are subject to hazardous waste regulation are managed domestically and requires notifications if CRT monitors are exported for recycling.
With no other mandates on the federal level, a growing number of states are mandating collection and recycling of used electronics. In addition, there are now two private sector/non-profit electronics recycling standards and accredited certification programs that address the handling of used electronics throughout the recycling chain.
Task Force Says E-Waste Has Value & Needs to Be Disposed of Properly
According to the task force, unwanted or discarded electronics not reused or recycled represents a lost opportunity to reuse functioning electronic equipment and components, such as cell phone and computers/laptops or recover valuable resources, such as precious metals, plastics or minerals that are found in scarce or critical supply.
Additionally, used electronics may be exported to developing countries that lack capacity to manage them appropriately and result in negative impacts to human health and the environment.
Recycling Groups Say Gov’t Should Not Export E-Waste to Developing Countries
Several U.S.-based recycling and environmental groups that responded to the request for comments agreed and urged the task force to ban federal agencies from exporting e-waste to developing countries.
One group, the Electronics Take Back Coalition cited four reasons for banning e-waste exports by federal agencies, which it notes are purchased with U.S.-taxpayer funds:
- May violate laws of importing country - such exports may be illegal, violating the laws of many of the importing countries;
- Lack of infrastructure in developing countries - many developing countries lack the necessary infrastructure to handle e-waste, from long-term storage facilities for the hazardous processing residuals to an empowered workforce that can prevent harm resulting from managing hazardous waste;
- Not environmentally just - exporting hazardous waste from the U.S. to a weaker economy violates the principle of environmental justice, because these exports disproportionately externalize the real costs of processing toxic waste onto the developing nations.
- Would export jobs -- The coalition states that such jobs could be done in the U.S. and federal policies should encourage new jobs in green sectors like e-waste recycling.
(On September 29, 2011, Representatives Green (D) and Thompson (D) introduced H.R. 6252, a bill to prohibit the export from the U.S. of certain electronic waste, and for other purposes. See ITT’s Online Archives or 10/01/10 news, 10100123, for BP summary.)
All comment submissions are available here.
Electronics Take Back Coalition comments and letter, dated 03/09/11, available here and here.