The Coalition for American Electronics Recycling is the voice of the e-waste recycling industry on Capitol Hill. CAER represents more than 140 companies that operate a combined 300 processing facilities in 35 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. These companies share in the philosophy that electronics recycling should be performed securely to protect our nation’s security and for the benefit of the American economy. For the last several years they have been working on federal legislation to address the exportation of untested, nonworking e-waste that counterfeiters use as cheap raw material.

The Coalition for American Electronics Recycling is the voice of the e-waste recycling industry on Capitol Hill. CAER represents more than 140 companies that operate a combined 300 processing facilities in 35 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. These companies share in the philosophy that electronics recycling should be performed securely to protect our nation’s security and for the benefit of the American economy. For the last several years they have been working on federal legislation to address the exportation of untested, nonworking e-waste that counterfeiters use as cheap raw material.

Congressional action is needed to stop the flow of e-waste exports are closely linked to counterfeit microchips from China. According to the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee and experts in the defense and computer industries, these fake electronics threaten the reliability of a wide range of technologies:

• Critical infrastructure such as telecommunications, power and transportation;
• Defense systems such as jet fighters and missiles; and
• Consumer products such as air bags in cars.

Counterfeiters get their feedstock of used computer parts from e-waste exported from the United States and other countries. They use harsh processes to make these parts look like new. But they are unreliable and prone to failure.

There are few limits on e-waste exports, which makes it easy for counterfeiters to get these essential raw materials. As a result, we are basically handing counterfeiters the feedstock they need to undermine our security.

While improving supply chains and detecting counterfeit microchips are critical, to date there has been little focus on attacking the problem at its source – by reducing the flow of raw material counterfeiters require. Congress must pass legislation that stops the flow of non-working, untested e-waste from the United States and requires domestic recycling. Exports of working, used equipment would not be restricted and are expected to grow

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The Basel Action Network (BAN) is a charitable non-governmental organization working to combat the export of toxic waste from technology and other products from industrialized societies to developing countries. BAN is based in Seattle, Washington, United States, with a partner office in the Philippines. BAN is named after the Basel Convention, a United Nations treaty designed to control and prevent the dumping of toxic wastes, particularly on developing countries. BAN serves as a watchdog and promoter of the Basel Convention and its decisions

The Basel Action Network (BAN) is a charitable non-governmental organization working to combat the export of toxic waste from technology and other products from industrialized societies to developing countries. BAN is based in Seattle, Washington, United States, with a partner office in the Philippines. BAN is named after the Basel Convention, a United Nations treaty designed to control and prevent the dumping of toxic wastes, particularly on developing countries. BAN serves as a watchdog and promoter of the Basel Convention and its decisions

Mission

BAN’s mission is to champion global environmental health and justice by ending toxic trade, catalyzing a toxics-free future, and campaigning for everyone’s right to a clean environment.

Why Basel?

BAN’s namesake is the 1989 United Nations Basel Convention, which restricts the trade of hazardous waste between more developed countries and less developed countries.

BAN currently tackles two toxic waste streams covered by the Basel Convention:

• Electronic waste (e-waste), the fastest growing waste stream globally
• End-of-life ships, like the cargo ships that carry our goods

We prevent pollution dumping on the world’s poorest residents.

Safeguarding People and the Planet from Toxic Waste

We’re a non-profit organization creating a sustainable world where society’s discarded items remain a force for good. We believe that true recycling should be both environmentally and socially responsible.

Since 1997, we’ve been working at the nexus of human rights and environmental justice. We fulfill our bold mission with interrelated strategies for policy, marketing solutions, and public engagement.

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Step is an international initiative comprised of manufacturers, recyclers, academics, governments and other organizations committed to solving the world’s e-waste problem. By providing a forum for discussion among stakeholders, Step is actively sharing information, seeking answers and implementing solutions.

The shared expertise and common vision of Step’s membership focuses on the following key areas:

• Reducing the materials used in manufacturing
• Reusing equipment or components where practical
• Refurbishing where possible
• Recovering materials from obsolete equipment
• Recycling the highest possible level of materials

Step is an international initiative comprised of manufacturers, recyclers, academics, governments and other organizations committed to solving the world’s e-waste problem. By providing a forum for discussion among stakeholders, Step is actively sharing information, seeking answers and implementing solutions.

The shared expertise and common vision of Step’s membership focuses on the following key areas:

• Reducing the materials used in manufacturing
• Reusing equipment or components where practical
• Refurbishing where possible
• Recovering materials from obsolete equipment
• Recycling the highest possible level of materials

The Step Initiative is based in Bonn, Germany and is hosted by the United Nations University – Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS SCYCLE).

Step facilitates research, analysis and dialogue among more than 65 members drawn from business, international organizations, governments, NGO’s and academic institutions around the world.

Step has created the first-of-a-kind e-waste world-map that provides comparable, country-level data on the amount of electrical and electronic equipment put on the market and the resulting amount of e-waste generated in most countries around the world. In order to ensure comparability of data across countries, the data upon which this map is based has been assembled according to a common definition of electrical and electronic equipment, as well as of e-waste. The data will be updated regularly to incorporate additional data (e.g. imports and exports) and enable up-to-date comparisons. Additionally, as a supplement to the primary data, this e-waste world-map also provides links to relevant e-waste rules, regulations, policies, and other useful resources.

View the Step e-waste world map here

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