Blog-Wa, the Dog-Wa Blog

If you saw the recent 60 Minutes episode about the illegal exporting of trash to Asia and Africa for “recycling,” you might think this is only a problem in the United States. Basically, tougher laws governing recycling and trash disposal of hazardous materials have led to a kind of black market trade in waste.

Computers, television monitors and cell phones are often gathered up, placed into cargo containers, misleadlingly labeled and sent overseas for “recycling.” Once at the destination, it is often an open question whether any of the alleged recycling every happens.

And often, when recycling does happen, the conditions are extremely hazardous to the employees of the facility and the adjacent environment. For example, toxic plastics are burned to remove gold and silver used in the composition of computer parts. The health effects on workers, often low paid children, are horrendous.

Today’s New York Times features an article about similar practices in Europe. Rotterdam, Europe’s largest port, has now become the “trash chute” of Europe. From Rotterdam, mislabeled cargo containers are now shipping trash off to developing countries. Often times, the trash simply sits and rots.

The reason for this trafficking? Europe’s tough new laws governing the disposal and recycling of waste have created incentives for polluters to ship the trash off-shore. The costs of recycling and proper disposal of hazardous materials and trash are higher in Europe.

Once again, it’s a case of good intentions without proper regulation and enforcement. Ideas that sound good on paper don’t always work out that way in the real world.

We of course support efforts to clean up the environment. But we also think we all need to “think globally” about our efforts.

It’s a great feeling when you sort your garbage and try to act responsibly when it comes to disposal of computers, cell phones and other electronics. But it’s extremely disheartening when you discover that entire villages in places you’ve never heard of are being poisoned and sickened by performing the recycling you’re supporting.