Exposing the Hazards of Improper Electronic Waste Recycling

Recently, the Verge featured a story on the “dark-side” of e-waste. The story dove into some of the industry horror stories and repercussions of improper e-waste recycling. During the short documentary, they interviewed the Basel Action Network (BAN) Founder, Jim Puckett. Puckett provided a candid view of the work his organization is doing and how it’s impacting the world. In the past, some companies have exported e-waste overseas. Often this equipment is dumped in developing nations. In most cases, these areas do not have proper processing facilities, exposing them to hazardous materials and other toxins. BAN is now providing visibility into what organizations are doing with their EarthEye project. The initiative installs GPS trackers in electronics and tracks where they end up. BAN has already exposed a recycler, Total Reclaim. Due to BAN’s investigation, the company shut down; some of their managers were arrested for forgery.

Watch the Verge’s full documentary “The Dark Side of Electronic Waste Recycling” below.

In September, the NY Times published an opinion piece that illustrated the effects of exporting e-waste. The photos were taken in the West Bank. The images tell a grim story. In one image, you see a fire burning discarded technology. Another photograph shows livestock grazing amongst the trash. Reportedly, health officials are finding evidence that long-term exposure to these toxins is causing serious health issues for villagers.

These stories are a reminder for organizations to be responsible for your e-waste. Partnering with an eStewards certified recycler can give you peace of mind. Liquid Technology is an eStewards and R2 certified ITAD service provider. We vet all our downstream partners to ensure the final destination of all dismantled parts are recycled properly. To learn more about our services, contact us by email or by phone at 1-800-797-5478.