The Basel Convention & the United States

With the amount of electronics collected for recycling growing considerably year over year and an estimated 80% of American e-waste being exported to less developed countries (LDCs) rather than being properly and ethically recycled one can't help but ask why the United States has yet to ratify the Basel Convention in order to curtail the outward flow of these hazardous materials.

 The Basel Convention was enacted in 1992 and with it's 51 signatory nations is in place to stem the movement of hazardous waste between nations; or more specifically to prevent the export of hazardous waste from developed nations to LDC's. Not surprisingly the focus of the Parties of the Basel Agreement has shifted largely in recent years to the e-waste problem. Notwithstanding some major loopholes in the Conventions conditions which still permit massive quantities of e-waste to reach party countries and relies on the signatories to police the problem themselves the Basel Convention has enjoyed considerable success in keeping the movement of toxic waste in check. 

With the United States being one of the largest producers of e-waste worldwide and with the amount of waste produced set to double every 5 years if present trends continue the U.S. is certainly the most notable non-party to the Convention. It is estimated that 50-80% of U.S. e-waste is exported to LDC's which, while unfortunate is unsurprising since the Environmental Protection Agency has claimed that exporting waste is 10 times cheaper than properly recycling it. 

As more and more stories come to light from the developing world about the very real effects this type of waste is having on the local population this will not be an issue that can be swept under the rug much longer. It is imperative that the United States take responsibility for it's waste and stops dumping it in the backyards of the less fortunate.