Legislation would limit e-waste exports, which pollute the air and water while also fuelling electronics counterfeiting, which jeopardizes key infrastructure.
Legislation to Protect Environment Proposed
Reps. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) and Steve Stivers (R-OH) proposed the Secure E-Waste Export and Recycling Act (SEERA) today, legislation that would protect the environment and national security by prohibiting the export of untested, non-working electronic trash from the US. SEERA, which was introduced with the Coalition for American Electronics Recycling’s (CAER) strong backing, would ensure that America’s e-waste does not wind up in hazardous landfills in underdeveloped nations and will stifle the flow of raw materials used by counterfeiters of electronics.
“There is a bipartisan consensus around the threat that China presents to our critical supply lines, environment, personal information, and national security – I was proud to work with my colleague, Congressman Stivers, on our bill to abate e-waste exports to China,” Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) stated. “The vulnerabilities presented by China’s handling of American e-waste was illuminated in a 2012 Senate Armed Services Committee Report. But in the nearly ten years since its release, we have yet to take the necessary steps to address the problem. Our e-waste flow is on track to reach 27 million tons by 2030, and until we turn it off, our national security and environment will be under threat by the malign actors in China. Furthermore, we will continue to miss out on the economic benefits from this industry as China’s e-waste industry is on track to be worth $23.8 billion by 2030. It is beyond time that we take action.”
“For nations who seek to undermine the U.S., one man’s trash is truly another’s treasure,” Rep. Stivers said. “In our efforts to counter China’s growing influence, this bill is an important step. Thanks to Representative Espaillat and all involved for their leadership on this critical issue.”
Additional SEERA Plans
SEERA will also assist the American economy by mandating the processing of untested, non-working e-waste in the United States. SEERA plans to boost high-value exports of refurbished computer equipment as well as commodity-grade material purified from discarded electronics. Recycling companies in the United States will be better equipped to attract investment, expand capacity, and generate up to 42,000 high-quality employment in the United States.
SEERA allows for exclusions for materials that are considered low risk since they are unlikely to be utilized by counterfeiters or recycled in poor conditions elsewhere, such as:
- Electronics that have been tested and are in good working order.
- Shredded or demanufactured electronic waste that can be shipped as feedstock for smelters and other recycling operations
- Electronics that have been recalled and may be exported for repair
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