The Responsible Electronics Recycling Act - Environment and Human Health

As GIS users and creators we use a lot of high tech electronic equipment. It behoves us in the U.S. to do the best we can to assure that the disposal of this equipment is done in a way that does the least amount of harm to the environment and human health.

A new bill, H.R. 2284, The Responsible Electronics Recycling Act, would prevent the export of non-functional or shredded electronic scrap to developing countries. This is an important bill and one that I think should be passed. For starters, it would result in more U.S. based jobs and it would also mean less material containing toxics being sent to places that have lower environmental and labor protection standards than the U.S.

It's time! Over 20 years ago Bill Moyers wrote Global Dumping Ground: The International Traffic in Hazardous Waste that I realized what I had done. I'm not sure if the environmental and human abuse overseas is as bad now as it was then, but I'm quite sure that conditions are below U.S. standards.

You might take a look at H.R. 2284 and if you feel like I do, urge your representative to vote for it.