According to a plastic and waste recycler, the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive is not delivering what it was meant to, as export waste levels are on the increase. The director of Axion Recycling, Keith Freegard, said: “It is clear the WEEE Directive is failing to deliver what it set out to do. The best treatment, recovery and recycling techniques should be applied to maximise material re-use and to minimise human health and the environment.” Freegard noted that the WEEE Directive was put in place so that electrical waste would be recycled into new products and hazardous materials would be ... Full Story

Environmental authorities in the UK have launched an investigation into the alleged dumping of e-waste in Ghana. The Environmental Agency has confirmed that an investigation is ongoing, in an email response to ghananewstoday.com dated 17 October. The agency is responsible for the protection and improvement of environmental conditions in England and Wales. The senior press officer in the environmental protection division, Scarlett Elworthy, wrote in her response: “Thank you for your recent inquiry about the reports of UK computers being dumped in Ghana. Yes. The Environment Agency's National Investigations Crime Team are carrying out inquiries within England and Wales into the ... Full Story

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 ... Full Story

Environmental activists joined various businesses at first Dallas' first Green Festival at Dallas City Hall on Saturday. Organisers hoped to encourage residents to create a greener city by presenting information and resources on recycling centres and processes. The Green Festival is just one of many initiatives promoted by the Green Dallas Website, a new venture that has received a great deal of notoriety. Various organisations manned booths offering information on everything from e-waste recycling to carpooling and other environmentally friendly activities. Dallas resident Pamela Navarro is pleased that the city is taking steps to promote a more eco-friendly city. "When you walk down the ... Full Story

Goodwill's ReConnect programme is suffering in southwestern Pennsylvania. Donations of used computers and other electronic devices are down, leaving the non-profit organisation scrambling for work for its employees. Goodwill employs people with developmental disabilities to teach work and life skills. It also hones the skills of welfare recipients, encouraging them to enter the workforce. Goodwill of Southwestern Pennsylvania has issued an emergency appeal to residents in Pittsburgh and surrounding communities for donations of unwanted computer systems that can be refurbished and resold, or demanufactured and recycled. "Donations have declined, and our Computer Recycling Center is almost out of material for the ... Full Story

Many people are conscious of the fact that computers can be recycled and refurbished. Now Dell is promoting a new desktop system called the Studio Hybrid. Arkansas resident Sherry Conrad and her family share the desire to reduce their carbon footprint and take measures to do so. The family uses reusable shopping bags; and buys everything organic. Choosing the new Studio Hybrid was the obvious thing to do. "It's made from recycled parts. It uses a whole lot less energy, which helps everybody nowadays," says Conrad. It seems all the major computer companies are making efforts to be greener, whether it's through the ... Full Story

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 ... Full Story

Electronic Recyclers International (ERI) Chief Compliance Officer and co-founder Aaron Blum was one of the expert panelists to address delegates at the E-Scrap 2008 Conference & Tradeshow held in Phoenix, Arizona. Blum's speech included detailing the effects of recycling of e-waste in regulated environments and how it is possible to safely and effectively recycle electronic waste (e-waste) in all 50 states. Blum was part of a panel that also featured Craig Lorch of Total Reclaim / EcoLights NW; Toral Jha of Cascade Asset Management; and Billy Andrews of Uniwaste Services Corp. The moderator for the panel discussion was Jason Linnell of ... Full Story

Greenpeace has just released the ninth edition of its Guide to Greener Electronics, revealing that toxic elements still exist in new computers despite manufacturers' abilities to produce smaller instruments ... Full Story

Menifee Valley Community Cupboard, a Sun City, California based organisation, has introduced itself as the first site in the region to serve as a drop-off point for the disposal of used electronics. The Sun City Food Bank and thrift store began taking old electronics, often referred to as e-waste. E-waste items may include computers, laptops, computer monitors, televisions, DVD players, VCRs, printers, radios, cell phones and more. The organisation works together with Waste Management, Inc. who pays the Food Bank for each pound of e-waste collected. WMI has also been buying and delivering approximately $100 worth of food to the cupboard's ... Full Story

Identity theft is one of those things that people either live in fear of or think that it can't happen to them. It happens every day, particularly when hard drives aren't wiped clean or destroyed prior to recycling. To that end, many electronics recycling companies have also branched out into data security to ensure their customers' information will remain confidential. Corporate Destruction Solutions Inc., a Somerville, Massachusetts firm that will accommodate clients who desire to have old hard drives destroyed. This is becoming a common offering from companies already in the metal shredding industry. The company, operated by brothers James and ... Full Story

Hopefully, this weekend's electronic waste recycling event won't be the first in Detroit. As with many large cities in the U.S., Detroit, Michigan certainly has its share of unwanted electronics, from computers to laptops to printers through to televisions. The question is: What does everyone do with their unwanted electronics? Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit joined forced with the Oakland County Campus in Pontiac on Saturday to begin collecting electronic waste, also known as "e-waste". Lindsay Chalmers, Director of Business Development for Goodwill, said: "Anything related to a computer, to a PC, in other words it can be a monitor, keyboard, some ... Full Story