Many U.S. citizens have definite opinions on China’s toxicity when it comes to pet food and toys yet are either ignorant or simply don’t care that the U.S. dumps a significant amount of waste in the very same country.
Recently, the Government Accountability Office uncovered the fact that there is currently no restriction from the EPA on what can be exported to China in the form of waste, even when those items end up in any number of unregulated places or are dismantled by children who can suffer the effects from exposure to harmful materials.
The GAO ran a sting of sorts when agents presented themselves to various electronics recyclers regarding broken cathode-ray-tubes (CRTs) from televisions and computer monitors. Dozens of electronics recyclers were prepared to export “broken, untested or nonworking” CRTs to developing markets such as India, China and Indonesia even though they contain toxic elements.
The GAO said, “EPA records show that none of the recyclers willing to sell to us had filed proper notifications of their intent to export CRTs for recycling as is required. … Some of these seemingly noncompliant companies actively cultivate an environmentally responsible public image; at least three of them held Earth Day 2008 electronics recycling events.”
Lack of legislation means that companies can export almost any other electronic waste, “such as computers, printers and cell phones,” even if “they can be mismanaged overseas and can cause serious health and environmental problems.”
Officials refer to one case in which one company’s sales associate “offered to sell four containers of CRT monitors (approximately 3,200 units) in April 2008 and another 20 containers (approximately 16,000 units) in June 2008 to our fictitious broker in Hong Kong.”
Source: Dallas Morning News
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