Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
the. levels. of. toxic. chemicals. released. from. uncontrolled. e-waste. recycling.
operations.into.the.environment.should.be.drastically.reduced.
Significance of the Findings
Research.conducted.at.the.two.major.e-waste.recycling.sites.has.adequately.
demonstrated. the. sources,. fates,. and. effects. (both. environmental. and.
health.effects).of.toxic.chemicals.generated.by.primitive.and.uncontrolled.
recycling.of.e-waste..The.highly.toxic.chemicals.(such.as.PCDD/Fs,.PBDEs,.
and.PCBs).are.concentrated.in.human.tissues,.due.to.the.high.background.
levels. of. these. toxic. chemicals. in. different. ecological. compartments,. for.
example,.through.inhalation.and.dermal.contact,.as.well.as.high.oral.intake.
due.to.continuous.consumption.of.contaminated.food.items..There.is.also.
a. danger. that. these. toxic. chemicals. are. passed. on. to. our. next. generation,.
through.placenta.transfer.and.lactation..The.epidemiological.data.provided.
by. the. hospital. in. Taizhou. have. conirmed. the. increasing. morbidity. of.
several.major.diseases.in.the.area.
There.is.an.urgent.need.to.reduce.the.negative.impacts.of.e-waste.recycling.
activities.on.the.environment.and.humans.
AddressingtheProblemsofE-Waste
Laws and Regulations Concerning E-Waste
International
Basel Convention
The.movement.of.hazardous.waste.across.international.boundaries.is.regu-
lated.by.the.Basel.Convention.on.the.Control.of.Transboundary.Movements.
of. Hazardous. Wastes. and. Their. Disposal,. whereby. e-waste. is. included.
under.List.A.of.Annex.VIII.of.the.Convention..The.convention.was.adopted.
more.than.20.years. ago,.on.March.22,. 1989,.and.entered. into.force.on.May.
5,. 1992.. Transboundary. movements.of.hazardous.waste.are.restricted,.and.
prior.written.notiication.of.the.exporting.country.to.the.competent.authori-
ties. of. the. importing. country. is. a. requirement. (Secretariat. of. the. Basel.
Convention-United. Nations. Environment. Programme. 1992).. The. spirit. of.
the.Basel.Convention.is.to.protect.human.health.and.the.environment.from.
the.dangers.posed.by.hazardous.wastes..It.outlines.a.three-step.strategy.for.
minimizing.the.generation.of.wastes,.treating.wastes.as.near.as.possible.to.
the. location. where. they. are. generated,. and. reducing. international. move-
ment.of.hazardous.wastes..Despite.this.convention,.developed.countries.still.
routinely.export.their.e-waste.to.developing.countries..Notably,.the.United.
States. is. the. world's. largest. e-waste. producer. and. has. neither. ratiied. the.
original.Basel.Convention.nor.its.amendment.
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