The fastest growing waste sector in the world is electronic waste. It’s hazardous if dumped in landfills; more and more states have made it illegal to put electronics in the trash. As a result, a whole new industry has been created — the electronic recycling industry. Unfortunately, the problem of shipping unwanted electronics illegally to far-off lands with less stringent regulations, such as China and India, is still rampant. As a result, underage and/or untrained workers there are often exposed to hazardous materials. This problem makes the responsible recycling of electronics more important than ever. It’s not just an environmental issue any more; it’s also a human rights issue.
John Shegerian, Chairman of Electronic Recyclers International, the nation’s leading recycler of electronic waste and a trailblazing green business, along with Jim Puckett, Founder of the Basel Action Network, a non-profit environmental watchdog organization that started an e-stewards concept to help manage responsible handling and recycling of electronics, will co-present this essential discussion on electronic waste and human rights and where the two intersect.