Title: Cleaning Up Electronic Waste (E-Waste) | International Cooperation | US EPA
Headings: Cleaning Up Electronic Waste (E-Waste)
International Cooperation
Cleaning Up Electronic Waste (E-Waste)
Highlights
Understanding E-Waste
What is E-Waste?
Understanding the Problem
National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship
Capacity Building
Building Capacity in Developing Countries and Sharing Best Practices
Ethiopia:
International E-Waste Management Network:
Multilateral Cooperation
Additional Links
International Cooperation

Content: Though “e-waste” is the commonly used term, EPA considers e-waste to be a subset of used electronics and recognizes the inherent value of these materials that can be reused, refurbished or recycled to minimize the actual waste that might end up in a landfill or improperly disposed in an unprotected dump site either in the US or abroad. An undetermined amount of used electronics is shipped from the United States and other developed countries to developing countries that lack the capacity to reject imports or to handle these materials appropriately. Without proper standards and enforcement, improper practices may result in public health and environmental concerns, even in countries where processing facilities exist. We have serious concerns about unsafe handling of used electronics and e-waste, in developing countries, that results in harm to human health and the environment. For example, there are problems with open-air burning and acid baths being used to recover valuable materials from electronic components, which expose workers to harmful substances. There are also problems with toxic materials leaching into the environment. These practices can expose workers to high levels of contaminants such as lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic, which can lead to irreversible health effects, including cancers, miscarriages, neurological damage and diminished IQs. EPA estimates that, in 2009, US consumers and businesses discarded televisions, computers, cell phones and hard copy peripherals (including printers, scanners, faxes) totaling 2.37 million tons. Approximately 25 percent of these electronics were collected for recycling, with the remainder disposed of primarily in landfills, where the precious metals cannot be recovered. Understanding the Problem
Better data are needed to create a more comprehensive picture of the overall trade flows.