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Trashed or Recycled? Most Toxic E-Waste Ends Up In Our Landfills
The EPA estimates that in 2005, the U.S. generated 2.63 million TONS of e-waste. But only 12.5% of that was collected for recycling.
The other 87.5% went to landfills and incinerators. Hazardous chemicals in e-waste can leach out of landfills into groundwater. Burning the plastics in electronics can emit the carcinogen dioxin.
These numbers don't include the millions of stockpiled computers, monitors and TV—which are stored in basements, garages, offices, closets and homes awaiting a decision.
Most "Recyclers" Don't Recycle:
Our E-Waste—They Export It To Developing Countries
Currently, a large portion of the hazardous electronic waste collected for recycling in the U.S. is actually exported to developing countries. There the products are dismantled and separated using such primitive and toxic technologies that workers and communities are exposed to many highly toxic chemicals.
In countries like China, India, Viet Nam, and Pakistan, workers in e-waste yards (working with few health and safety protections) actually "recycle" very little of these products - they use hammers, acids, and open burning to reclaim minimal materials and dump the rest.
In one e-waste processing region in China, more than 80% of the children have lead poisoning, the water is unsafe to drink, and the workers have extraordinarily high levels of toxic fire retardants in their bodies.
Waste traders can make more money by exporting toxic e-waste to countries where workers earn extremely low wages (ten cents per hour) and where health and safety laws are very weak, or are not enforced.
The Myth of Reuse:
Waste Traders Sell Non-Working Units Under Pretense of Reuse
Lagos, Nigeria has a vibrant reuse market and a skilled workforce for refurbishing used electronics. But as much as 75% of the electronics in the containers they receive from the U.S. and Europe cannot be resold or refurbished because they are scrap or very obsolete.
Instead, they are tossed into unregulated dumps—and then burned when the piles get too big, emitting deadly dioxin and furans. All of this happens right next to residential areas, exposing residents to toxic fumes on a regular basis.
Our Federal Laws Don't Prevent E-Waste Export
While importing e-waste from the U.S. violates the laws of many of the importing countries, it is not a violation of U.S. laws to export if from the U.S. But that was not always the case.
Many of the materials in e-waste were once considered "hazardous" under U.S. laws, and therefore covered by Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) laws. RCRA requires EPA oversight of hazardous waste exports. Under this law, the EPA must get the importing country's consent before allowing the shipment to leave the U.S.
But now, very little e-waste is covered by RCRA's notice and consent procedures. Over the years the EPA has weakened the rules, both by removing many of these materials from the definition of "hazardous" and by creating loopholes for materials being exported for alleged "recycling." So now, we have no meaningful restrictions on e-waste exports from the U.S.
Next: U.S. Prison E-Waste Recycling Plants
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