After reading the comments from Alex Hofford above I thought I would add this.
While I am just as concerned about the issues of e-waste mismanagement in China, India, Africa, Mexico and other parts of the world, addressing the source of the problem is the only way to really have a long term impact.
Under my leadership, an International Certification Program was developed in 2005 that certifies Manufacturing Companies that demonstrate the reduction and/or elimination of Hazardous Substances used in Electrical and Electronic Products. This includes the materials used in packaging, shipping and the production process. More than 1900 manufacturing companies have thus far demonstrated their compliance through 3rd party technical assessments. The program known as IECQ HSPM Certification is growing worldwide with China and Taiwan Manufactures leading the way.
I am sorry to say that the USA is the slowest country to give this program favorable consideration even though the program was created here in America by Americans. The most common reason given by industry for rejecting the program is cost. In reality the program is saving countless dollars for the companies that have embraced it.
American consumers have the power to change this devastating situation by demanding that the products that they purchase are produced by companies that have IECQ HSPM Certification. This would drive industry worldwide to build Hazardous Substance Free products and demonstrate their compliance through an established network of accredited independent certification bodies.
In the United States this program is administered by a Not For Profit organization, The Electronic Component Certification Board. They operate under the authority of the American National Standards Institution, (ANSI) and the United State National Council to the International Electro-Technical Commission for Quality, (IECQ).
For more information please visit the ECCB.org web site.
Or IECQ HSPM Documentary by Quality Digest Introducing the IECQ HSPM GREEN Manufacturing Certification Program. The documentary will be presented in monthly segments beginning this month with the introduction. watch video @ the Quality Digest website: intro > part 1> part 2 >
Your comment of, "your sorry to say that the USA is the slowest country to give this program favorable consideration" does nothing but make people not want to be part of your solution. Next time try some encouragment and more education instead of putting YOUR Country down. Show some American pride and push change in a more positive way. In fact, whoever you are you need to be fired and replaced by me!
My name is Alex Hofford and I'm a photographer based in Hong Kong. I went to Guiyu back in May, and have blogged about it since over a period of weeks. Here are the links to what I saw and what I think about the subject:-
http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/node/2206
http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/node/2232
http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/node/2223
http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/node/2220
http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/node/2238
Comments welcome.
I don't know of any reports more recent than mine, but I would love to know where the CRT monitors are being broken now as it has gone totally underground in Guiyu. I would also like to know what the latest situation is.
I applaud 60 Minutes for airing this report and hope that they will find it equally important to do a follow up report to show their viewers the efforts taken by members of the US National Authorized Institution, The Electronic Component Certification Board (ECCB) to address this.
In my role as President of the ECCB, I have had the opportunity to help develop and implement a United States Standard [EIA/ECCB ? 954] that was adopted internationally as IECQ QC 080000 to certify manufacturers who produce Hazardous Substance Free Electrical and Electronic Consumer products.
Starting in 2005 under the International Electrotechnical Commission Quality Assessment System for Electronic Components, [IECQ] US Sponsored Certification Bodies began providing 3rd party IECQ HSPM Certification to manufacturers that demonstrate hazardous substance free manufacturing compliance. With more than 1895 certified companies today, we believe we are beginning to make some progress.
What can people do? You must have missed the theme of this segment. Consumers can feel guilty for buying the computers, T.V.s and electronic equipment. That is it. That is the preferred solution.
What can companies do? That's a loaded question! Obviously they can stop producing this kind of toxic waste and stop forcing folks to purchase new, and newer and newest every year. But they want US to feel guilty, that way we won't blame them for the toxic waste that nobody wants to deal with.
I had to get rid of a perfectly good computer that could no longer download the "band with pigs" (like cbsnews.com): internet sites that demand constant computer upgrades in order to show the flashy ads for products like Lipitor. Yes, I find Lipitor and Cbsnews.com directly responsible for this toxic waste. But lets blame and shame the consumer for this waste, shall we? Where do you think my very useful, (but useless to this site), computer is now? Probably China.
I was also forced to junk an old T.V. set because of the new DTV conversion. How many TONS of useable T.V.s are filling our dumps because of that? And who did that conversion really help? Networks like CBS. The coupon program was a complete failure. I had a coupon, but I was never able to find a single store that had a converter box in stock after looking dozens of times. It appears that the corporations did NOT want the consumer to re-fit the old T.V.s but junk them and buy new. More toxic waste.
The truth be told, corporations who produce these products are responsible for our toxic waste problems and shows like 60 minutes are hired to cover up their culpability lest CBS itself be blamed as well. It is a conflict of interest for CBS to report on electronic goods when your company relies heavily on the ability of your advertisers to coerce consumers into the endless cycle of waste they insidiously promote and you shame us for.
Effectively disturbed by this report. Please CBS give us an equally effective solution to this problem. This story is incomplete until you have provided reporting on a proper solution. What can companies and individuals do to help????
This story is GREAT!!! The biggest problem is, stupid people are doing important things. It is hard to do the right thing after doing it wrong for so long.
I currently live in Taipei and I love Hong Kong very much too. What very much confuses me is in Hong Kong Land is SO FREAKING expensive how can they waste space for something like this? There is no way they can get the return out of holding waste.
It is great they have pointed out such a great need int he market, but also someone else wrote they were paying disposal fees. That would be a HUGE question to cover, that money is being taken and not doing what they are suppose to do.
So what? So what if China is willing to take our most toxic garbage and So What if it kills there children and completely ruins their land. SO WHAT? Does that information make people feel bad? Or feel the least bit guilty about buying a new computer or cell phone? I doubt it doubt it bothers many folks for more than a second.
Who actually disposes of this toxic waste correctly? NO ONE.
That burden falls on the municipalities. Big or small the municipalities DO NOT want to deal with the problem. The recycling company in your report won a contract from the city of Denver, Colorado. I would have to believe that they bid, $999 per ton of waste, say, and beat out a company who bid $1,005 and a company who bid $1,050 and beat out all the other illegal waste export companies you mention in your report who export this waste to China. What is the real cost of recycling this toxic waste? No body knows, because no body does it.
And what about small municipalities? They are less able to afford to hire a proper facility to dispose of this waste and it gets dumped into fields, streams, etc. where the waste eventually enters our food stream. At acceptable levels of course. I have to believe that the toxins from a Dell computer dumped in rural Idaho are mixed into a jar of Gerber's mashed potatoes being feed to an infant in New York. At acceptable levels, of course.
dontwatchmuchtv suggests we learn to, "not to buy electronics at all or buy less." Why? Why on earth would I do that? That is just plain stupid. I pay local taxes. I pay for the recycling of these products whether I buy them or not. My neighbor can buy 40 cell phones and a new computer a year, while I never do. And yet I still have to pay for the disposal of his toxic waste. If I am forced to pay for the disposal of this waste, I am certainly not going to worry about it.
I propose a Waste Tax and Recycling Deposit on all electronic goods. The Waste tax is imposed on products based on the cost to properly dispose of their toxic componants. The revenue collected from that tax goes directly to government sponsored or contracted disposal facilities. So, the consumer pays for the cost of recycling a Dell Computer, say, at the point of purchase. I, who choose not to buy a new computer every year, am not burdened with the cost of disposing of your toxic waste.
A Recycling Deposit is placed on Electronic products, and is refunded when that product is delivered to a proper disposal facility. This would help to see that electronics are delivered to the proper facilities.
Otherwise, I believe that illegally shipping toxic waste to China and other countries is a brilliant solution to a growing problem and shame on anyone who thinks otherwise, yet is unwilling to pay for a healthy alternative. Believe me, NO BODY wants to pay for the disposal of their own waste. That is a problem as old as mankind.
So what? So what if China is willing to take our most toxic garbage and So What if it kills there children and completely ruins their land. SO WHAT? Does that information make people feel bad? Or feel the least bit guilty about buying a new computer or cell phone? I doubt it doubt it bothers many folks for more than a second.
Who actually disposes of this toxic waste correctly? NO ONE.
That burden falls on the municipalities. Big or small the municipalities DO NOT want to deal with the problem. The recycling company in your report won a contract from the city of Denver, Colorado. I would have to believe that they bid, $999 per ton of waste, say, and beat out a company who bid $1,005 and a company who bid $1,050 and beat out all the other illegal waste export companies you mention in your report who export this waste to China. What is the real cost of recycling this toxic waste? No body knows, because no body does it.
And what about small municipalities? They are less able to afford to hire a proper facility to dispose of this waste and it gets dumped into fields, streams, etc. where the waste eventually enters our food stream. At acceptable levels of course. I have to believe that the toxins from a Dell computer dumped in rural Idaho are mixed into a jar of Gerber's mashed potatoes being feed to an infant in New York. At acceptable levels, of course.
dontwatchmuchtv suggests we learn to, "not to buy electronics at all or buy less." Why? Why on earth would I do that? That is just plain stupid. I pay local taxes. I pay for the recycling of these products whether I buy them or not. My neighbor can buy 40 cell phones and a new computer a year, while I never do. And yet I still have to pay for the disposal of his toxic waste. If I am forced to pay for the disposal of this waste, I am certainly not going to worry about it.
I propose a Waste Tax and Recycling Deposit on all electronic goods. The Waste tax is imposed on products based on the cost to properly dispose of their toxic componants. The revenue collected from that tax goes directly to government sponsored or contracted disposal facilities. So, the consumer pays for the cost of recycling a Dell Computer, say, at the point of purchase. I, who choose not to buy a new computer every year, am not burdened with the cost of disposing of your toxic waste.
A Recycling Deposit is placed on Electronic products, and is refunded when that product is delivered to a proper disposal facility. This would help to see that electronics are delivered to the proper facilities.
Otherwise, I believe that illegally shipping toxic waste to China and other countries is a brilliant solution to a growing problem and shame on anyone who thinks otherwise, yet is unwilling to pay for a healthy alternative. Believe me, NO BODY wants to pay for the disposal of their own waste. That is a problem as old as mankind.
I am Chinese from Hong Kong now living in bay area. I saw this program the first time last year. I was angry. Then I saw it the second time; I was angry again. But angry doesn't help solving problem; right?! In CA, we were charged from $8-$25 for California Monitor Recycling Fee (from Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003). I don't have the number of how many LCD TV/Monitor have been sold in CA since 2003. But I wouldn't be surprised if it would be a huge number due to the popularity of the thinner LCD/LED technologies, and the Digital TV switch-over few months ago. Does anyone know where were the money spent? I saw another program the other night (I forgot from which channel) saying that they found out some CA companies actually sold the e-waste items to another states, such as Arizona, where the recycling law is not that tight; then those companies reship the items to Mexico (or some other countries, like China?). I believe letting the states to take care the problem is no longer work. This is no longer a domestic issue, but international problem. Maybe the Fed govt should do something by "encouraging" the high-tech companies, which produces physical products, to operate their own recycling center. As consumers, since we have already pay the recycling fees to the CA state govt when we recycling the items, we should be able to "ship back" the item from post office to the company's recycle center for free, or a little fees. On the other hand, the Fed govt should have a set of strong law and enforcement to make sure the e-waste won't "go away." Some people may claim this would increase the price of the high-tech products. Yes, but I think it would be in the short run. I believe some big companies might eventually (need to) develop new methods to reuse the elements from the e-waste items. Nowadays, no one really want to invest into this just because of the high research and investment cost comparing to just shipping them oversea. But if the companies were "encouraged" to do so, they could reuse the elements into their new products, and thus, the cost would go down again. Pick an example, few "high-tech" products I have seen are actually using "old" parts like the RAM we used back to the days of my first 386SX computer. This could be a win-win solution in the long run. I might be wrong. But this is just something in my mind for a while.
Another thing in my mind... I always watch something on TV claiming how the polluted air comes across the Pacific Ocean from China. Do we have the actual number of people who have been killed in the States due to the air pollution? Compare with the number of people who are dead due to the e-waste pollution?
Most of the comments posted are positive ones on the story of e waste. However, like many have stated in comment--there should be safe ways of disposing of this safely. Furthermore, everything should be recycled. How about doing a segment on how it should be done. With America's unemployment being so elevated, looks like potential jobs for America. Operation Green America!
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While I am just as concerned about the issues of e-waste mismanagement in China, India, Africa, Mexico and other parts of the world, addressing the source of the problem is the only way to really have a long term impact.
Under my leadership, an International Certification Program was developed in 2005 that certifies Manufacturing Companies that demonstrate the reduction and/or elimination of Hazardous Substances used in Electrical and Electronic Products. This includes the materials used in packaging, shipping and the production process. More than 1900 manufacturing companies have thus far demonstrated their compliance through 3rd party technical assessments. The program known as IECQ HSPM Certification is growing worldwide with China and Taiwan Manufactures leading the way.
I am sorry to say that the USA is the slowest country to give this program favorable consideration even though the program was created here in America by Americans. The most common reason given by industry for rejecting the program is cost. In reality the program is saving countless dollars for the companies that have embraced it.
American consumers have the power to change this devastating situation by demanding that the products that they purchase are produced by companies that have IECQ HSPM Certification. This would drive industry worldwide to build Hazardous Substance Free products and demonstrate their compliance through an established network of accredited independent certification bodies.
In the United States this program is administered by a Not For Profit organization, The Electronic Component Certification Board. They operate under the authority of the American National Standards Institution, (ANSI) and the United State National Council to the International Electro-Technical Commission for Quality, (IECQ).
For more information please visit the ECCB.org web site.
Or
IECQ HSPM Documentary by Quality Digest Introducing the IECQ HSPM GREEN Manufacturing Certification Program. The documentary will be presented in monthly segments beginning this month with the introduction. watch video @ the Quality Digest website: intro > part 1> part 2 >
http://www.qualitydigest.com/inside/fda-compliance-video/special-report-hazardous-substance-process-management-intro.html-0
http://www.qualitydigest.com/inside/fda-compliance-video/special-report-hazardous-substance-process-management-part-1.html
http://www.qualitydigest.com/inside/fda-compliance-video/special-report-hazardous-substance-process-management-part-2.html
http://certificates.iecq.org/iecq/iecqweb.nsf/HSPM?OpenView&Start=1&Count=30&Collapse=1#1
http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/node/2206
http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/node/2232
http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/node/2223
http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/node/2220
http://www.alexhoffordphotography.com/node/2238
Comments welcome.
I don't know of any reports more recent than mine, but I would love to know where the CRT monitors are being broken now as it has gone totally underground in Guiyu. I would also like to know what the latest situation is.
Alex Hofford
In my role as President of the ECCB, I have had the opportunity to help develop and implement a United States Standard [EIA/ECCB ? 954] that was adopted internationally as IECQ QC 080000 to certify manufacturers who produce Hazardous Substance Free Electrical and Electronic Consumer products.
Starting in 2005 under the International Electrotechnical Commission Quality Assessment System for Electronic Components, [IECQ] US Sponsored Certification Bodies began providing 3rd party IECQ HSPM Certification to manufacturers that demonstrate hazardous substance free manufacturing compliance. With more than 1895 certified companies today, we believe we are beginning to make some progress.
What can companies do? That's a loaded question! Obviously they can stop producing this kind of toxic waste and stop forcing folks to purchase new, and newer and newest every year. But they want US to feel guilty, that way we won't blame them for the toxic waste that nobody wants to deal with.
I had to get rid of a perfectly good computer that could no longer download the "band with pigs" (like cbsnews.com): internet sites that demand constant computer upgrades in order to show the flashy ads for products like Lipitor. Yes, I find Lipitor and Cbsnews.com directly responsible for this toxic waste. But lets blame and shame the consumer for this waste, shall we? Where do you think my very useful, (but useless to this site), computer is now? Probably China.
I was also forced to junk an old T.V. set because of the new DTV conversion. How many TONS of useable T.V.s are filling our dumps because of that? And who did that conversion really help? Networks like CBS. The coupon program was a complete failure. I had a coupon, but I was never able to find a single store that had a converter box in stock after looking dozens of times. It appears that the corporations did NOT want the consumer to re-fit the old T.V.s but junk them and buy new. More toxic waste.
The truth be told, corporations who produce these products are responsible for our toxic waste problems and shows like 60 minutes are hired to cover up their culpability lest CBS itself be blamed as well. It is a conflict of interest for CBS to report on electronic goods when your company relies heavily on the ability of your advertisers to coerce consumers into the endless cycle of waste they insidiously promote and you shame us for.
I currently live in Taipei and I love Hong Kong very much too. What very much confuses me is in Hong Kong Land is SO FREAKING expensive how can they waste space for something like this? There is no way they can get the return out of holding waste.
It is great they have pointed out such a great need int he market, but also someone else wrote they were paying disposal fees. That would be a HUGE question to cover, that money is being taken and not doing what they are suppose to do.
Who actually disposes of this toxic waste correctly? NO ONE.
That burden falls on the municipalities. Big or small the municipalities DO NOT want to deal with the problem. The recycling company in your report won a contract from the city of Denver, Colorado. I would have to believe that they bid, $999 per ton of waste, say, and beat out a company who bid $1,005 and a company who bid $1,050 and beat out all the other illegal waste export companies you mention in your report who export this waste to China. What is the real cost of recycling this toxic waste? No body knows, because no body does it.
And what about small municipalities? They are less able to afford to hire a proper facility to dispose of this waste and it gets dumped into fields, streams, etc. where the waste eventually enters our food stream. At acceptable levels of course. I have to believe that the toxins from a Dell computer dumped in rural Idaho are mixed into a jar of Gerber's mashed potatoes being feed to an infant in New York. At acceptable levels, of course.
dontwatchmuchtv suggests we learn to, "not to buy electronics at all or buy less." Why? Why on earth would I do that? That is just plain stupid. I pay local taxes. I pay for the recycling of these products whether I buy them or not. My neighbor can buy 40 cell phones and a new computer a year, while I never do. And yet I still have to pay for the disposal of his toxic waste. If I am forced to pay for the disposal of this waste, I am certainly not going to worry about it.
I propose a Waste Tax and Recycling Deposit on all electronic goods. The Waste tax is imposed on products based on the cost to properly dispose of their toxic componants. The revenue collected from that tax goes directly to government sponsored or contracted disposal facilities. So, the consumer pays for the cost of recycling a Dell Computer, say, at the point of purchase. I, who choose not to buy a new computer every year, am not burdened with the cost of disposing of your toxic waste.
A Recycling Deposit is placed on Electronic products, and is refunded when that product is delivered to a proper disposal facility. This would help to see that electronics are delivered to the proper facilities.
Otherwise, I believe that illegally shipping toxic waste to China and other countries is a brilliant solution to a growing problem and shame on anyone who thinks otherwise, yet is unwilling to pay for a healthy alternative. Believe me, NO BODY wants to pay for the disposal of their own waste. That is a problem as old as mankind.
Who actually disposes of this toxic waste correctly? NO ONE.
That burden falls on the municipalities. Big or small the municipalities DO NOT want to deal with the problem. The recycling company in your report won a contract from the city of Denver, Colorado. I would have to believe that they bid, $999 per ton of waste, say, and beat out a company who bid $1,005 and a company who bid $1,050 and beat out all the other illegal waste export companies you mention in your report who export this waste to China. What is the real cost of recycling this toxic waste? No body knows, because no body does it.
And what about small municipalities? They are less able to afford to hire a proper facility to dispose of this waste and it gets dumped into fields, streams, etc. where the waste eventually enters our food stream. At acceptable levels of course. I have to believe that the toxins from a Dell computer dumped in rural Idaho are mixed into a jar of Gerber's mashed potatoes being feed to an infant in New York. At acceptable levels, of course.
dontwatchmuchtv suggests we learn to, "not to buy electronics at all or buy less." Why? Why on earth would I do that? That is just plain stupid. I pay local taxes. I pay for the recycling of these products whether I buy them or not. My neighbor can buy 40 cell phones and a new computer a year, while I never do. And yet I still have to pay for the disposal of his toxic waste. If I am forced to pay for the disposal of this waste, I am certainly not going to worry about it.
I propose a Waste Tax and Recycling Deposit on all electronic goods. The Waste tax is imposed on products based on the cost to properly dispose of their toxic componants. The revenue collected from that tax goes directly to government sponsored or contracted disposal facilities. So, the consumer pays for the cost of recycling a Dell Computer, say, at the point of purchase. I, who choose not to buy a new computer every year, am not burdened with the cost of disposing of your toxic waste.
A Recycling Deposit is placed on Electronic products, and is refunded when that product is delivered to a proper disposal facility. This would help to see that electronics are delivered to the proper facilities.
Otherwise, I believe that illegally shipping toxic waste to China and other countries is a brilliant solution to a growing problem and shame on anyone who thinks otherwise, yet is unwilling to pay for a healthy alternative. Believe me, NO BODY wants to pay for the disposal of their own waste. That is a problem as old as mankind.
Another thing in my mind... I always watch something on TV claiming how the polluted air comes across the Pacific Ocean from China. Do we have the actual number of people who have been killed in the States due to the air pollution? Compare with the number of people who are dead due to the e-waste pollution?