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The American Electronics Association, or AEA, which includes such major corporations as Intel, Microsoft, and IBM, argues that the new EU directive constitutes an unfair technical barrier to trade under WTO rules. The AEA fears that more stringent electronic equipment construction requirements and take-back rules in Europe could mean greater costs and reduced profits for the US companies that sell to European markets. The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), under pressure from the AEA, has already successfully persuaded the EU to weaken early drafts of the Directive.
Formally known as the Directive on Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment, the EU ruling was developed in response to the escalating problem of electronics waste in Europe. It aims to keep hazardous electrical and electronic waste out of the landfill and away from the incinerator, through intelligent design, careful selection of non-hazardous manufacturing materials, and producer-funded recovery of product components. The Directive sends a clear message to manufacturers that they bear responsibility throughout the life-cycle of their products, and broadens the scope of environmental protection in Europe. The Directive also better protects workers in the electrical and electronics manufacturing industry. In short, the ruling is simply a strong vote for and clear example of Producer Responsibility (see article this page).
Electronic wastes—and especially computers—are a minefield of hazardous materials. Mercury, lead, cadmium, chromium, PCBs, halogenated or brominated flame-retardants all are regularly used in computer monitors, housings, and circuit boards. According to the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, from 5-8 pounds of lead are contained in every computer monitor; 40% of the lead and more than 20% of the mercury in our landfills comes from consumer electronics; and the toxic byproducts of incomplete plastics combustion have been detected in the tissues of animals as geographically isolated as Arctic seals.
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the ground-water barriers of even the best landfills eventually fail. Therefore, the toxins from electrical and electronic products that we bury today become the poisons that contaminate our children’s groundwater tomorrow. The European Union estimates that more than 90% of the waste from electrical and electronic equipment is landfilled, incinerated, or shredded with no pre-treatment or safe recovery of the constituent hazardous materials. This means that less than 10% of our computer devices are currently being recycled. Within just a few years, hundreds of millions of obsolete computers in the United States will be destined for the landfill unless wide-reaching recovery programs are initiated.
In response to the American Electronics Association’s success in pressuring the USTR, two Congresspersons, George Miller (D-CA) and Bernie Sanders (D-VT), along with Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN) have written to Vice-President Al Gore, urging him to uphold Europe’s right to set their own environmental standards and take proactive measures to protect public health and the environment. Mr. Gore also needs to hear from us.
What You Can Do
Send a FAX to Al Gore at 202-456-2461 or an e-mail to vice-president@whitehouse.gov. In your correspondence, express your concern that the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is not representing the wish of the American people but instead is moving under corporate pressure to weaken important international environmental legislation that would help protect our common future. Contact Eco-Cycle at 303-444-6634 if you would like a copy of a sample letter. Let’s make sure that the electronic equipment we manufacture today doesn’t become a weight that burdens future generations.
For more information on this issue, visit the Clean Computer Campaign website at
www.svtc.org; click on the Clean Computer Campaign heading.
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