Hanoi, Oct 23 (AP) – A new report by the Seattle-based Basel Action Network (BAN) reveals the massive export of discarded electronics from the United States to developing countries in Southeast Asia, raising concerns over the safe handling of hazardous waste. Over a two-year investigation, BAN identified at least 10 U.S. companies involved in this covert practice, describing it as a "hidden tsunami" of e-waste.
"This emergent, largely unseen wave of e-waste is bolstering profit margins in the electronics recycling sector, while a significant portion of American public and corporate IT equipment is clandestinely exported and processed under harmful conditions in Southeast Asia," the report states. Electronic waste, or e-waste, includes devices such as phones and computers, which contain both valuable materials and toxic metals, including lead, cadmium, and mercury. As gadget turnover accelerates, global e-waste increases at a rate five times faster than it can be formally recycled.
In 2022, a record 62 million metric tons of e-waste was produced worldwide, with projections expecting this to reach 82 million by 2030, according to the United Nations' International Telecommunication Union and its research arm, UNITAR. American e-waste exacerbates the burden in Asia, which already accounts for nearly half of the world's production. Much of this waste is dumped into landfills, releasing toxic chemicals into the environment, while some ends up in informal scrapyards where it is burned or dismantled by hand without protection, emitting toxic fumes.
Approximately 2,000 containers—over 33,000 metric tons (36,376 US tons) of used electronics—leave U.S. ports each month, states the report. Companies behind these shipments, termed "e-waste brokers," typically outsource recycling to firms in developing nations. Among the companies named in the report are Attan Recycling, Corporate eWaste Solutions (CEWS), Creative Metals Group, EDM, First America Metal Corp., GEM Iron and Metal Inc., Greenland Resource, IQA Metals, PPM Recycling, and Semsotai.
Most companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Semsotai denied exporting scrap, asserting it deals only in reusable components and accused BAN of bias. PPM Recycling claimed it exports only aluminum and non-iron metals to Malaysia and criticized BAN for exaggerating shipment volumes while insisting compliance with trade codes.
Greenland Resource expressed concern, stating they are reviewing the matter internally. CEWS claims adherence to strict environmental standards, though aspects of their recycling operations are industrial secrets. The report estimates that from January 2023 to February 2025, the 10 companies exported over 10,000 containers of potential e-waste with a value exceeding USD 1 billion. Industry-wide, such trade could exceed USD 200 million monthly.
In a noteworthy observation, eight of the 10 companies named in the report hold R2V3 certifications—a standard for safe and responsible electronics recycling—casting doubt on the certification's efficacy. Some firms operate out of California, despite strict state e-waste laws that mandate full reporting and proper waste handling.
A significant portion of the e-waste ends up in countries that have banned such imports under the Basel Convention, which prohibits hazardous waste trade from non-participating nations like the US. The report suggests shipments frequently avoid detection by using trade codes for non-electronic waste materials.
Tony R. Walker from Dalhousie University highlighted the systemic evasion of e-waste regulation. Most exports to developing nations are obsolete or non-functional, ending up in landfills that pollute the environment. Malaysia, a Basel Convention signatory, would be overwhelmed by waste volumes from wealthy nations.
Described as a "Mecca of junk," Malaysia emerged as a primary e-waste destination after China's foreign waste ban in 2017. Containers were also sent to Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and the UAE, despite the Basel Convention and national prohibitions.
Desperate workers handle e-waste without proper equipment, creating hazardous conditions. Both Thailand and Malaysia have increased efforts to halt illegal U.S. e-waste imports. Recent actions include Thai authorities seizing 238 tons in Bangkok and Malaysian authorities confiscating USD 118 million worth in raids. Exporting e-waste from affluent countries to developing ones strains local resources and constitutes "waste colonialism," according to SiPeng Wong of Malaysia's Centre to Combat Corruption & Cronyism. (AP) SKS SKS
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