E-Waste Recycling: State and Federal Legislation

Federal Legislative Campaign: Ban E-Waste Export

Unfortunately, most so-called "e-waste recyclers" are actually sending the toxic electronics overseas where they are dumped and burned and can poison entire communities. An estimated 50-80% of e-waste reported as recycled is actually exported around the globe.

Exported e-waste is dumped, burned, and “processed” under very crude conditions, which result in toxic exposure to workers and communities. Due to horrific working conditions and weak labor standards in many of the developing countries where
e-waste is sent, women and children are often directly exposed to lead and other hazardous materials when dismantling the electronic products to recover valuable parts for resell.

E-waste in China appears to be a source of the lead being used to make children’s jewelry which is then exported back to the US, where it can poison our children at home! TCE is working with our allies in the national Electronics TakeBack Coalition to pass federal legislation to ban the export of toxic e-waste to developing nations.

Click here to urge the Obama Administration and the U.S. EPA to support legislation for responsible e-waste recycling!

In countries like China, India, Pakistan, Nigeria and Vietnam, recycling often means burning the plastics away from the metals and harvesting the scrap, releasing multiple toxins into the global atmosphere.

A recent PBS Frontline report documents how toxic e-waste slips out of this country destined for crude scrap operations overseas - click here to watch.

The Government Accountability Office, a watchdog for U.S Congress, issued a comprehensive report in 2008 -- click here to read it. Shortly after this report, an excellent 60 Minutes story highlighted the problem as well. Click here to view this and another video from the Basel Action Network.