E-Waste A Global Problem
Why is e-waste a global problem?
E-waste is a global problem because the world enjoys electronics equally, wherever you go. You can go to Frankfurt, Shanghai and London and New York and everyone uses a cell phone, everyone uses a laptop, everyone wants a flat screen. The bottom line is, as the world enjoys their electronics and it increases and it makes their business life better and their quality of private life better, it's then left in the consumers hands to responsibly recycle the electronics that have made their quality of life better and increased the speed of business that they can engage in better. It's up to us in every city in every corner of this earth to save the environment by recycling electronics.
Why is it important to ban the export of hazardous e-waste?
It is critical and important to ban the export of electronic waste, but it is not fair to enjoy the benefit of our electronics in one city, state, or one country. And, then dump those electronics when it comes to the end of their life, and then dump those products into an emerging country, or third world nation to poison or pollute that country. It is wrong, legally wrong, morally wrong, and environmentally wrong.
How much of the e-waste in the US is exported to other countries?
Unfortunately and embarrassingly, the vast majority of electronics right now in the United States is exported illegally to third world or emerging nations such as India, China, Vietnam or Mexico. As law makers learn of the electronic waste crisis, the public at large clamors for change and the media exposes the harms that are being done, changes will happen and bans at the landfills will be made on electronic waste. Then export bans will go hand in hand with the landfill bans, and the products will be recycled appropriately where they were used and broken down into their commodities, and then their commodities can be exported to the OEM's around the world for future reuse.
Are there any regulations in place to protect the workers in China, India and Africa from polluting e-waste?
Whether there's regulation or not in third world countries or emerging nations such as China, Mexico, Vietnam, or Africa I've seen myself with my own eyes, the harms that are being done on those countries right now. Whether there is laws or not, there is many companies that are not following the laws in those countries. And I believe that those countries do not want that to happen anymore and regulations will they be passed or enforced as time goes on now.
