Do you know where your waste is going? Pretty disturbing stuff. Be sure to watch the video by clicking on the link. Its near the bottom of the article.
‘60 Minutes’ Issues Disturbing Report on E-Waste Recycling - CE Pro Article from CE Pro
‘60 Minutes’ Issues Disturbing Report on E-Waste Recycling - CE Pro Article from CE Pro
11.11.2008 — A recent "60 Minutes" report called "Electronic Wasteland" demonstrated how important it is to vet any third-party company used for recycling electronics.
Scott Pelley’s report describes a scenario in which Americans wait in line to properly dispose of environmentally harmful CRT-based monitors and cell phones, only to have them unknowingly shipped to an electronic waste dump in Guiyu, China.
Executive Recycling of Inglewood, Colo. recently won a contract with Denver to operate a large-scale e-waste recycling event for residents. “60 Minutes” was on hand to interview Executive’s CEO Brandon Richter, whose company pledges that its customers know their “e-waste is recycled here in the U.S., not simply dumped on somebody else.”
“60 Minutes” did confirm that Executive Recycling has state-of-the-art recycling facilities in Inglewood. It also noticed, however, a container that appeared filled with hazardous e-waste. It tracked the container as it was shipped to Tacoma, Wash. where it boarded a ship bound for Hong Kong.
It is illegal under U.S. law to ship e-waste materials without special permission, according to the “60 Minutes” report. According to the report, the container, which started in Denver, was just one of thousands of containers making its way from the U.S. to China.
“60 Minutes” followed the trail to Guiyu, which Pelley calls “a sort of Chernobyl of electronic waste.” It filmed vast piles of discarded electronics and reported that workers use their bare hands to dismantle, for example, CRTs. CrunchGear published some disturbing photos of Guiyu earlier this year.
The report adds the following disturbing claims:
* Drinking water now needs to be shipped in
* The town has the highest levels of cancer causing dioxins in the world
* Pregnancies in the town are six times more likely to end in miscarriage
* Seven out of 10 kids in the town have too much lead in their blood
Workers in Guiyu are willing to put up with the risks because they have few alternatives, according to the “60 Minutes” report. It describes the recyclers as peasant farmers who can no longer make a living on the land. It says they choose to dismantle the electronics and expose themselves to toxins for about $8 per day.
Executive Recycling denies any knowledge of its containers being shipped to Hong Kong. Richter tells Pelley it can’t be true and if it the container does, in fact, have Executive’s name on it, it wasn’t filled by them. Pelley reminds him that “60 Minutes” has film of the container sitting on Executive Recycling’s property. Richter still denies it.
Executive Recycling has since posted a response to the “60 Minutes” report on its Web site. In the written statement, it maintains that it disposed of all e-waste responsibly. It adds that after its recycled items are refurbished and sold it can’t be “responsible for the subsequent improper actions of others who lawfully purchase products from them and hide their intentions to engage in misconduct.” Executive Recycling refers to itself as a “victim.”
Here's the statement:
Executive Recycling is a respected and law abiding business that recycles computers and electronic parts in a responsible and lawful way. Our company has reviewed the recent report of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the 60 Minutes story on E-Waste and we agree on the dangers of unregulated disposal of electronic and computer waste.
Executive Recycling is well aware of every applicable environmental and export standard and has complied throughout its history with such laws, rules and regulations. Our company takes in tons of computer and electronic products and disposes of them responsibly. Many such items are refurbished and resold. Executive Recycling would not sell anything to any purchaser if it had knowledge that said buyer planned to break the law. However, no business can be responsible for the subsequent improper actions of others who lawfully purchase products from them and hide their intentions to engage in misconduct.
Sadly, Executive Recycling appears now to be the victim of others who have obtained electronic and computer products from our company and then acted irresponsibly. These buyers apparently sought to hide their own misconduct by leaving the impression that their shipment was the responsibility of our company. We have discovered that forged documents (provided by the port authorities) were used to improperly shift blame to us when ER sold the tested working units to a Canadian wholesale buyer. We are currently seeking legal actions against this one wholesale buyer in regards to this report.
Executive Recycling worked for the past two months with 60 Minutes regarding this investigation and provided 5 container numbers and bill of ladens for one Basel Action Network member who has signed the pledge and which states on their website "we will not engage in the exporting or dumping of e-waste, or in the use of prison labor in our recycling processes" - Denver Based Company.
Executive Recycling urges the Environmental Protection Agency and the government of the United States and other civilized societies to prepare and enact further laws and regulations to make sure that no individuals or environments are damaged through irresponsible disposal of computer or electronic products. Executive Recycling has cooperated with the Environmental Protection Agency in the past and will continue to do so in an effort to see that humans and the environment are protected.
“60 Minutes” concludes its report by citing an investigation that claims 42 American companies, in addition to Executive Recycling, were willing to illegally ship e-waste containers overseas.
In most cases, integrators that choose to recycle electronics for their customers will obtain help from a recycling company. With the impending DTV transition, presumably many consumers will buy new TVs and look to unload CRT-based TVs.
Information on how to dispose of e-waste properly is available at eRecycle.org, a partnership made up of government, manufacturer, retailer and environmental bodies.
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