60 Minutes and ‘The Electronic Wasteland’
60 Minutes recently released a story covering the improper recycling of electronic waste (e-waste) in foreign countries, with materials supplied by American recyclers.
“The Electronic Wasteland” begins with a recycling event in Colorado and ends in the Chinese village of Guiyu, where workers openly burn and recycle e-waste. Where circuit boards are heated over open fires and acid is used to extract precious substances such as gold, workers are also exposed to harmful substances such as lead, cadmium, polyvinyl chlorides and mercury. Because of these practices, the area reports the highest concentration of dioxins in the world, among other health and environmental issues.
According to the report, almost 130,000 computers in the U.S. are thrown out each year, contributing to the growing problem of e-waste in our municipal waste stream. Outdated TVs, cell phones, mp3 players and DVD players also contribute to the mounting problem.
Want to know where your electronics are going? Consumers looking to properly recycle their e-waste should take care to ensure their products are not being shipped overseas. Certain organizations, such as the International Scrap Recyclers Institute and the International Association of Electronics Recyclers, provide ethical guidelines for compliance which recyclers can subscribe to in order to properly handle e-cycling.
Vanessa
posted on November 12th, 2008 at 9:49 am
I was horrified when I watched the 60 minutes report on where our “recycled” computers are going. I have a computer that I was going to recycle, but now I’m donating it to someone who rebuilds computers to give to low-income children. “The Electronic Wasteland” simply underscored the importance of being more informed on what is really good for our environment and what is merely labeled environmentally safe because of the recent popularity of going green. It leads me to ask other questions: Is my organic food really chemical-free? What does happen to the paper, plastic, glass, and metal I take to the recycling facility? And what about all of the beauty supplies (soap, shampoo, make-up, sunscreen, lotion, etc.) that are supposed to have fewer chemicals in them?
eucarya
posted on November 12th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
The 60 Minutes story sheds light on an important concept, that we must be diligent in properly disposing our wate. The “story of our stuff” does not end once we put it in the blue bin or drop it off at our local recycler. 60 Minutes references the Government Accountability Office Report Electronic Waste: EPA Needs to Better Control Harmful U.S. Exports through Stronger Enforcement and More Comprehensive Regulation. In this report the GAO gives four recommendations:
* The EPA should set a timetable for developing and implementing a plan to enforce the CRT rule
* The EPA should expand its authority to address the export of used electronic devices that might not be classified as hazardous waste by current U.S. regulations but have a high likelihood of threatening human health and the environment when unsafely disassembled
* The EPA should track exported used electronics better
* The EPA should engage Congress with a legislative package to ratify the Basel Convention
Proper disposal of electronic waste is an essential component of recycling it. We must not forget our toxic legacy once the materials are out of our hands.
David
posted on November 19th, 2008 at 9:49 am
I was excited to see increased though bad publicity on e-waste. My company processes e-waste and we are fed up with half way polices and the lack of education in regards to toxins and illegal exports. Funding to investigate and continuously audit e-waste processors is needed. The problem with Basil is that they are not funded well enough to properly investigate all of the signatures within their group. My recommendation is to show up any time and audit your processor and his downstream markets. Insist your local governments check their contractors and e-waste providers. This is really a simple fix that can not be implemented as long as the passing of responsibility attitude is corrected. It is no longer PC to say, I do not export, I use brokers and what they do with my materials is not my concern. Hence, easy on eyes, rotten insides… ASK QUESTIONS!!!
bob
posted on November 23rd, 2008 at 9:10 am
I am also an electronics recycler and have been for over 15 years. The 60 Minutes piece was ok but as usual the media concentrates on the sensationalist stories of e-waste recycling, there are plenty of good e-cyclers in US who do their best in a global market over which we have no control. Any e-cycler who tells you he doesn’t export his products is either giving a very misleading answer or he really doesn’t understand his own industry. E-cyclers receive finished goods (computers, TV’s, etc) and produce raw materials. Raw materials only go to one market and that is the manufacturers. and where are the manufacturers these days? Not in the US, so the copper, aluminum, leaded glass, etc have to be exported. But this is a good thing. It helps balance the trade deficit, reduces the environmental impacts of mining these materials, and provides jobs. The real 60 Minutes story was that the guy said he was not exporting and they showed he was not telling the truth, The CRTs that went to Hong Kong on the show were probably done illegally but the new EPA rules are tough for for non-professional ecyclers to comply with. thats why he got into trouble. The only legitimate CRT recycling facility is owned by Samsung and is in Malaysia. By the way, check your facts in your article. My company alone does well over 130,000 computers a year and we are small players. Another thing is the implication that we are “dumping” our e-waste on China. Not even close to being true. I would love to be able to buy the e-waste collected at events in this country, but the Chinese buyers are outbidding us. If you are going to get upset at anyone, direct your ire at the Chinese government for not enforcing their own health and safety rules. There is just too much bad information and misunderstanding out there. Vanessa should already know if she is visiting Earth911 that organic doesn’t mean chemical free and yes the other recyclables are mostly going to to the manufacturers overseas. And guess what, when that guy she donates the computer to for repair pulls out the broken or obsolete parts, that stuff has to go somewhere also. Thanks for reading my rant.
Frank
posted on November 25th, 2008 at 7:38 am
Bob, I really liked your comment above. I’m just starting to look into recycling Ewaste as a possible business oppertunity,
Jo
posted on November 25th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Frank, I have considered investing in a recycling company myself where are you located, I’m in the Florida region if possible, you can email me back at maddam_j@yahoo.com and discuss your proposal into this business venture.
Nikki
posted on November 25th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
This is my first visit to earth911. What a great site! I’ve always been alert to the environment so when I had a daughter over 17 years ago I raised her to be conscious of the earth as well. While recycling was always in the picture, it was presented as the second option, never the first. Our primary focus was to be satisfied with what we had, to make purchases carefully and slowly, and to save our money wherever possible. Don’t get me wrong, we do enjoy buying new things from time to time……..and enjoy it a lot! And when it comes to the recycling companies who are diligently doing what they can to make a difference, I believe in it and support it as much as possible. But when it comes to really getting our trash issue under control, how much more effective could we be by not buying unnecessary items in the first place? Just because the new model is out doesn’t mean we have to buy it.
LucidGoldfish
posted on December 7th, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Okay look, I have several old motherboards, and basically some dead and wayyyyy outdated cpus …and no, I do not mean, whole working computer… I mean parts… that nobody could use, most of them don’t work, and most places don’t take parts, certainly not parts this old. and a variety of old silicon parts (such as video card, sound cards, what not…stuff from the 70’s, 80’s, and a little from the early 90’s). For the life of me I cannot find a place to recycle them. I am a avid recycler, but this is getting ridiculous, I don’t think I should have to be searching the internet, and calling places for hours on end just to find a place to accept and recycle these used computer parts. If I have to pay a small fee, no biggie, but just finding a place has become a huge pain in the ass. If anyone knows of a website or a place I can call please email me with the info, otherwise all of this is ending up in the dump…. which I would rather not do. And when I say a internet address, I mean a place in the Boston area, or a place I can send to directly, or call directly, I do not mean a place that can help me research more to find another place. – Thank you for any help, LucidGoldfish@gmail.com
Alyx and Monica
posted on December 10th, 2008 at 9:24 am
We think everybody should recycle because it would be very helpful to our enviroment.
tc
posted on December 10th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Bob,
Who are you trying to kid? “but the new EPA rules are tough for for non-professional ecyclers to comply with.” Would you mind explaining to the rest of us what a “non-professional ecycler” is? If you need to recycle your e-waste, use an E-Steward:
http://www.e-stewards.org
If the regs that the EPA has put in place are too strong (which is a good joke all within itself), look at this chart to compare:
http://www.ban.org/pledge/downloads/e-Recyclers_standards_comparison.pdf
There are a few CRT processors in the US which means you do not have to export them.
If you have been recycling E-Waste for 15 years, you really missed the boat a long time ago.
MA
posted on December 11th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Hello,
I had 20 computers that didn’t want anymore because I bought new ones.
I called Comtech in Miami (www.comtechsuppliers.com) and they took care of everything. They picked them up fast and without charges. I think there are some good recycling companies in our country. Recycle is good for our planet. The problem is that there are some Recycler companies that don’t know how to do it.
Kathleene
posted on December 30th, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Does anyone have a heads-up on environmentally honest electronic recyclers in Colorado Springs, CO?
Recycle for a Cause
posted on January 29th, 2009 at 10:48 am
I too was shocked to see the 60 Minutes on Executive Recycling. As an E-waste recycler in Colorado, we experienced a significant backlash from our client base. People were terrified that this is what electronics recycling is about. The truth is, Exectutive took the cheap, illegal way out. Here at ACP Inc. we have to charge to recyle things like monitors and even printers, because it costs money to have them processed by national companies that are BAN approved. We process all electronic equipment in STRICT compliance with all federal, state, county and local regulations and sometimes that means we loose money, but it is certainly better than the alternative.
We urge you to research your recycler. Find out exactly how they do business and, more importantly, how they recycle your electronics. Check out some of the following organizations that offer free shipping and donate a large percentage of their proceeds to charity: Cartridges for Kids: Supports schools all over the country through electronics recycling. http://www.cartridgesforkids.com. Recycle for Pets, http://www.recycleforpets.com, supports organizations like the ASPCA and other animal shelters. Recycle for Soldiers http://www.recycleforsoldiers.com, supports our servicemen and women and their families. Recycle First http://www.recyclefirst.com, supporter of the Huntington’s Disease Society Association and many others. Do your research and save the planet!
Recycle for a Cause
posted on January 29th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Environmentally responsible e-cyclers will have an EPA registration number. This is a good place to start your research.
David
posted on March 19th, 2009 at 1:37 pm
There is not an EPA registration number for processing electronics, however there is a new certification. Part of the problem here is the many “experts” of recycling. We all know them, you know the ones that have never touched an old electronic device but know all about processing them. BAN is great, and BAN is horrible. BAN means well, but they are extreme and nearly impossible to conform to which is why many sign but continue to do what they wish. Like an honor system… I am a major CRT processor also, and like just most major processors we send cutlet to Samsung Corning to create new CRT’s. There is no CRT Ferry that cleans up every night. For the companies that do this they are closing the recycling loop and using a glass to glass recycling process. We can recycle TV’s easier than a beer bottle, try that in your city. Us good guys, we do not export electronics to developing countries, we export commodities to manufacturing nations around the world. Earth911 is a great resource, I refere many client and citizens here, for I no expert my self, just an electronic recycler working in a “WORLD” market.