You Are Here:
Every year, hundreds of thousands of old computers and mobile phones
are dumped in landfills or burned in smelters. Thousands more are
exported, often illegally, from the Europe, US, Japan and other
industrialised countries, to Asia. There, workers at scrap yards, some
of whom are children, are exposed to a cocktail of toxic chemicals and
poisons.
The rate at which these mountains of obsolete electronic products are growing will reach crisis proportions unless electronics corporations that profit from making and selling these devices face up to their responsibilities.
It is possible to make clean, durable products that can be upgraded, recycled, or disposed of safely and don't end up as hazardous waste in someone's backyard.
We believe that manufacturers of electronic goods, who have benefited from sales of their products, should take responsibility for them from production through to the end of their lives.
To prevent an e-waste crisis, manufacturers must design clean electronics with longer lifespans, that are safe and easy to recycle and will not expose workers and the environment to hazardous chemicals.
Clean up: Electronics manufacturers must stop using hazardous materials. In many cases, safer alternatives currently exist.
Take back: The taxpayer should not bear the cost of recycling old electrical goods. Manufacturers should take full life cycle responsibility for their products and, once they reach the end of their useful life, take their goods back for re-use, safe recycling or disposal.
The rate at which these mountains of obsolete electronic products are growing will reach crisis proportions unless electronics corporations that profit from making and selling these devices face up to their responsibilities.
It is possible to make clean, durable products that can be upgraded, recycled, or disposed of safely and don't end up as hazardous waste in someone's backyard.
So what's the solution?
We believe that manufacturers of electronic goods, who have benefited from sales of their products, should take responsibility for them from production through to the end of their lives.
To prevent an e-waste crisis, manufacturers must design clean electronics with longer lifespans, that are safe and easy to recycle and will not expose workers and the environment to hazardous chemicals.
Clean up: Electronics manufacturers must stop using hazardous materials. In many cases, safer alternatives currently exist.
Take back: The taxpayer should not bear the cost of recycling old electrical goods. Manufacturers should take full life cycle responsibility for their products and, once they reach the end of their useful life, take their goods back for re-use, safe recycling or disposal.
