US e waste exports flood Southeast Asia, watchdog warns

Photo: Shutterstock, photo editor: Serikzhan Kovlanbayev

A new report by the Basel Action Network finds that large amounts of electronic waste from the U.S. are ending up in Southeast Asia, where many countries lack the infrastructure to safely handle hazardous materials, as they’ve never wanted to become a dump site for richer countries, the Associated Press reported.

The Seattle-based group said several American recyclers have been sending used electronics overseas under trade codes that may disguise their contents, describing the trade as an «invisible tsunami of e-waste.» The report estimates that thousands of shipping containers — totaling about 36,000 tons of discarded devices — leave U.S. ports each month, much of it bound for Malaysia and nearby nations.

While e-waste contains valuable metals, it also holds toxic substances such as lead and mercury. When dismantled or burned without safety controls, these materials can pollute the environment and endanger workers.

Authorities in Thailand and Malaysia have increased efforts to curb illegal imports of U.S. e-waste. Regional governments have seized tons of waste containers in ports as part of attempts to stem the influx of waste from the U.S., which remains the only industrialized nation that has not ratified the Basel Convention on Hazardous Wastes.