The U.S. Government Accountability Office has said that the Environmental Protection Agency is not doing enough to prevent companies from exporting electronic waste to other countries. Officials from the GAO sat before a House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific, and the Global Environment and claimed that many U.S. companies simply ignore the EPA’s requirements while still telling people that they are recycling waste. As per recent reports, illegal export is particularly prevalent in India and China.
One of the most popular problems regards the exporting of CRTs, which are especially harmful due to the amount of lead used in their manufacture. New legislation was put into effect in January 2007 requiring U.S. companies to contact the EPA before exporting CRTs out of the country.
Another issue with exporting electronic waste overseas is the fact that many countries have seen a sharp rise in the electronics recycling industry. While profits are being made, there are little, if any, laws to regulate the safe handling of electronic items containing toxins.
“In many cases they do wind up in the hands of exporters and the economics are such that it is a lot cheaper to get rid of them through the export market, and a lot of money can be made by exporters to buyers in countries like China,” said GAO Assistant Director Steve Elstein.
GAO investigators recently set up a sting operation to find at least some of the guilty parties. Posing as buyers, the GAO officials uncovered dozens of companies offering to export in violation of the EPA’s CRT rule. These companies are located in various states, including Colorado, New Jersey, Missouri, and Washington.
Source: Sci-tech
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