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International Toxic Waste Trade: Mobile Phones Growth, Flow and Solutions of International Toxic Waste Trade Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Solid Hazardous Waste Prevention and Air Control Engineering (MANE6960) Spring 2014 Sean Paquette Introduction • 3.56 billion mobile phone subscribers (2014) • Expected to grow to 4.0 billion (2018) • Mobile phone industry contributes 1.4% to the global gross domestic product (GDP) • International toxic waste is the trans-boundary movement of liquids, gases and solids that are dangerous to human health and the environment • 1.3 billion tons of hazardous waste produced every year • 45 million tons are electronic waste Basel Convention • “To protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects of hazardous wastes, its scope of application covers a wide range of wastes defined as ‘hazardous wastes’ based on their origin and/or composition (article 1 and annex II).” • The provisions of the Basel Convention center around the following principle aims: • The reduction of hazardous waste generation and the promotion of environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes, wherever the place of disposal. • The restriction of trans-boundary movements of hazardous waste except where it is perceived to be in accordance with the principles of environmentally sound management. • A regulatory system applying to cases where trans-boundary movements are permissible. Hazardous Waste Generation (2009) Composition of E-waste (2009) Exports of E-Waste (2011) Assumed Routes of E-Waste Dumping (2011) E-Waste • Developing countries purchase shipping containers by weight, not by the value of electronics • On average it costs $5,000 to ship a 40ft container full of used electronics from the United States to Africa • Computer ($130); 27” flat screen TV ($50) • One solution to help reduce international toxic waste trade is requiring more companies to establish “buy-back” and recycling programs, similar to Best Buy and Staples • Another potential solution to help reduce toxic waste trade and crude recycling is to modify the Basel Convention, clarifying the definitions regarding waste • “The lack of distinction between ‘waste’ and ‘products’ in the convention and its vague criteria for ‘hazardous’ allowed the continued export of hazardous waste under the label of commodities or raw materials, despite the fact that these wastes still present environmental and health risks to developing countries”