E-Waste Trade Ban Won’t End Environmental Threat

While the US Congress considers a ban on the trading of electronics waste (e-waste), the larger, global problem remains unaddressed. Currently, many developed nations export their technological waste to developing nations for “backyard recycling”, where it releases harmful toxins into the environment. Trade bans, like the one Congress is considering, are intended to remove the environmental burden placed on these developing nations. But this legislation could become irrelevant over the next few years, overwhelmed by the dramatic increase in technology use of the developing world. By 2025, the developing world will produce twice the technological waste of the developed world, and its market for technology will have far outpaced developments in environmentally-friendly e-waste recycling. Perhaps only a global strategy will be able to deal with the impending storm. – YaleGlobal