ิCEC looks to experts for answers on eve of February workshop
Electronic waste is scary, no doubt: it’s the fastest growing waste stream in the industrialized world, with some 40 million tons of obsolete computers, monitors, and TVs disposed of annually; there are reports of companies sending containers of e-waste to Asia without proper permits; and toxic substances like mercury, lead and cadmium from trashed electronic equipment leaking into the ground. According to estimates, nearly 70 percent of used computers and monitors in the United States will end up in landfills, and up to 75% of e-waste generated in the European Union is unaccounted for.
It’s a challenge the world over, as electronic goods are more affordable than ever, and more disposable each second. With this in mind, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation is holding its “Workshop on E-waste Recycling and Refurbishing: Environmentally Sound Management Practices” in Guadalajara, Mexico, 15–16 February 2011. Follow the workshop via our online webcast: http://www.cec.org/webcast
“The sound management of e-waste is an issue of concern to NAFTA partners because of the rapidly growing number of electronic devices disposed of each year, compounded by a lack of infrastructure and comprehensive strategies to face this challenge,” the CEC announced in January. “By fostering the recycling and refurbishment of e-waste, the CEC also aims to help fight the illegal trade of these components in and from North America.”