The Wasteland
August 30, 2009 4:19 PM
Where does all the electronic refuse our society generates end up? Some of it is shipped illegally from the U.S. to China, reports Scott Pelley, where it is harming the environment and people.
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See all 27 CommentsWhile 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.
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