User:Isaac Mills/Electronic waste in the United States

United States' export of e-waste[edit]
The United States, along with a number of economically developed countries, ships the majority of its e-waste across seas to economically developing countries. The United Nations estimates between 10% and 50% of US e-waste is exported, the EPA estimates 25%, and the International Trade Commission estimates that the number is closer to 13%. Despite the numerous reports existing that document the waste's movement and existence, there lacks a coherent presentation of the data; largely due to the difficulty of accessing this information. Studies indicate that this gap exists primarily because of: undifferentiated trade codes, inconsistent methods of marking and classifying electronic products, inconsistent records kept in waste destination countries, and a lack of pressure holding companies accountable. Shipment of e-waste is not a partisan issue since local governments and private industries collaborate to manage non-functioning electronics. Increasing e-waste quantities as a result of increasing populations of people with access to electronics has had, and will continue to have, adverse health effects on the people living near these e-waste disposal sites.

Improper dismantling and processing[edit]
Unregulated e-waste processing junkyards do not contain proper equipment or employ safety precautions. The technology which allows for proper and effective reprocessing of e-waste is very expensive .The primary dismantling process generally includes manual separation of the plastic sections from the rest of the device; the plastic sections are then shredded into small portions if not re-usable themselves. If these plastic fragments are not directly resold to larger companies, they are further broken down into a fine powder. When this process is poorly regulated, the powder is easily inhaled and absorbed into the soil, air, and surrounding vegetation. The electronic devices are also stripped of their heavy metal components; this process in turn exposes workers to the raw elements of the metals. In addition to manually dismantling the devices, unregulated junkyards are ultimate disposal sites. Device disposal is mainly done by burning or smashing and burying the fragments; the aftermath of which has been documented to cause significant health problems in the surrounding area.

Waste storage for processing[edit]
As quantities of e-waste around the world continue to grow, facilities and spaces for storage and disposal are becoming scarce. In addition to open burning of electronic waste, rural communities are often used as storage locations. There exist varying stages in the life of an electronic device, and devices are stored or recycled depending on their specific stage. Storage facilities are almost always improperly constructed and regulated and thus generally result in the contamination of the soil and natural area surrounding the facility. Facilities that store cathode ray tubes (CRT) are particularly contaminated. Soil and dust samples collected at these locations indicate high levels of cadmium, zinc, and yttrium along with other heavy metal dioxins.