1.04.2005

E-waste and the Basel Convention

If you or your organization has computers to dispose of then pay attention to their recyclying.
In the late 1980s, a tightening of environmental regulations in industrialized countries led to a dramatic rise in the cost of hazardous waste disposal. Searching for cheaper ways to get rid of the wastes, “toxic traders” began shipping hazardous waste to developing countries and to Eastern Europe. When this activity was revealed, international outrage led to the drafting and adoption of the Basel Convention. The United States has not ratified the Basel Convention. BAN (The Basel Action Network) has recently focused on e-waste and the Chinese town of
Guiyu.