Up to 90 percent of the world's electronic waste are accumulating illegally disposed of or traded. This emerges from a report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
According to the report, each year 41 million tons of electronic waste arising, inter alia, products such as computers and mobile phones that are no longer needed. Forecasts indicate that this amount will rise to 50 million tonnes in the year 2017.
The report by the US Environmental Programme UNEP shows relentlessly that between 60 and 90 percent of the electronic waste is either traded or disposed of illegally. According to information from Interpol, the price of a ton of electronic scrap at $ 500. The volume of illegal trade and the illegal disposal is accordingly from 12.5 to 18.8 billion dollars.
UNEP not only denounces the illegal trade in electronic waste to, but also points to the resulting environmental and health damage. Achim Steiner, director of the UN Environment Programme, describes this as follows: "We are witnessing how an unprecedented amount of electronic scrap spreads over the world. This is not only a large part of non-recycled waste mountain in the world, but because of the hazardous substances it contains also a growing threat to human health and the environment. "
Since the export of electronic waste from EU Member States and OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) is prohibited in non-OECD countries, the electronic waste is usually declared wrong and moved to developing countries. Cathode ray tubes and computer monitors are then shipped for example as metal scrap.
The target countries are generally in Africa and Asia. Among the most important customers in Africa include Ghana and Nigeria, the Ivory Coast and the Republic of Congo. In Asia, China, Hong Kong, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and Vietnam are among the victims of illegal waste exports.
In countries of destination, the device and its components are usually broken, often by children. Raw materials such as copper, gold or rare earths are recycled, the rest migrates from landfills.
Therefore, the United Nations Environment Programme recommends to raise awareness of the illegal e-waste trade and to monitor the routes of exporters. In addition, States should sharper action against organized crime groups, advises UNEP. In addition to standard international and legally binding classifications for the garbage to be introduced so that, for example, electronic components should not be declared here is a used computer hardware.
Next UNEP recommends that the owners have to bear the costs for return transport of electronic waste if you the illegal transport of scrap is detected. Finally, States should strengthen their legislation and decisive action against waste exports and related crimes such as tax fraud and money laundering.
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electronic waste