“There are ‘good’ recyclers in developing countries.” Yes. SEERA does not limit free trade in recovered resource commodities and tested, working used electronics. There should be reasonable restrictions placed on the export of any toxic material, particularly one posing a security threat. “This is a restriction of free trade.” Yes, of course. Regardless of who stands in the way of responsible regulation, the arguments are the same: Their business models depend on collecting scrap electronics from those who don’t ask too many questions, then trafficking the material overseas for processing by those who have no voice. Less notable opposition comes from those who would profit from so-called recycling businesses without making the seven-to-eight-figure investment necessary to stand up a legitimate resource recovery operation. Are they worried that sensible regulation on the export of one waste category may lead to similar regulation of others? Perhaps ISRI’s concern is less for their e-waste trafficking members than for their MRF and auto shredder contingents. Dissecting the arguments against SEERAĬAER’s most persistent opposition comes from the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), which is surprising because many CAER members are also very prominent members of ISRI. SEERA finally provides transparency, accountability and legal standing needed to ensure that our industry does not externalize end-of-life costs at others’ expense. This toxic trade in e-waste exists for two reasons only – profits for those in developed countries, and lack of environmental and worker safety regulations in the developing world. The total economic value of our industry’s exports will rise by at least the amount of value added by responsible domestic processing, likely more due to current global supply chain constraints.Įnvironmental justice: BAN, 60 Minutes, Frontline, National Geographic and other prominent media have exhaustively documented deplorable working conditions and environmental degradation connected with rudimentary and unregulated recycling operations from Asia to Africa. Increased export value: Under SEERA, low-value e-waste exports will be replaced by clean, finished-grade commodities and tested, working used electronics. About half of those full-time positions would be created directly in our industry, more than replacing any losses from companies unwilling or unable to transition away from e-waste trafficking to more sustainable business models. economy by domestic processing of e-waste volumes currently being exported. ![]() The study found over 42,000 jobs would be added to the U.S. Jobs: CAER commissioned a study of SEERA’s economic impact. The thriving dark web market for stolen personal and corporate data fueled by the illicit e-waste trade will be limited by SEERA. SEERA substantially reduces the supply of raw materials for this illicit and dangerous black market.įights data theft: Unprocessed e-waste often contains data-bearing components that have not been properly sanitized. Today’s supply chain constraints simply increase the counterfeiters’ opportunity. According to the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, counterfeit chips also threaten commercial transportation systems, medical devices and systems, and the computers and networks that run today’s financial markets and communications systems. The Senate Armed Services Committee determined that such counterfeits have already compromised U.S. Without SEERA, such toxic trade will remain legal and profitable, if fraudulent.Īnti-counterfeiting: Counterfeiters harvest chips from e-waste, re-skinning and re-labeling them to look new, and then selling them as new into our supply chain. Forty percent of the devices came to rest in unregulated e-waste scrap yards in developing countries. BAN agents concealed GPS tracking devices in nonfunctional printers and monitors before delivering them to recyclers across the country. This integrity gap was laid bare by the Basel Action Network’s e-Trash Transparency Project. Nonetheless, some industry players traffic in hazardous e-waste to developing countries, in violation of international treaties, and while making claims of responsible recycling to the public. ![]() Our customers are virtually unanimous in demanding that their electronics be processed responsibly. Legitimacy: With SEERA, the United States will finally join all other Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries in implementing sensible, national e-waste regulation. ![]() SEERA’s benefits for our country, our industry and our customers are huge and long overdue:
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