Global E-Waste Is Destroying the Environment in China

Global E-waste is destroying the Environment in China

Li Xiaoyue

BUS 6150

Dr. Zahir Quraeshi

06/19/2016

Western Michigan University

Executive Summary

As the world's most important home appliances and electronic products export country, China has also become the "final destination" of these products. "China is the world's largest ground dumping of electronic waste, and receives waste from the United States, Europe and Asia, including South Korea and Japan" ( Where does e-waste end up?,2009). In spite of the import of electronic waste, it has been banned by the government in 2000, but in fact, a large amount of electronic waste and second-hand equipment is still being imported. Electronic waste in China is a serious environmental problem. The increase in the amount of electronic waste (garbage), due to the combination of economic growth and higher demand for electronic equipment, such as China and India, a relatively short economic life in the western world. While the western world's e-waste is responsible for e-waste, the greatest threat from other parts of the world, such as India, Thailand and China itself. According to the report, about 70% of the world's e-waste eventually ends up in china (Watson, 2013). In this research paper, I am working at the point of view at the Greenpeace organization which is the worldwide non-government organization focused on environment issue. The destruction of China's environment by electronic waste is enormous. In Guiyu, environmental issues have affected the life and the health of the local people. Most of the E-waste are collective by the informal sectors. From my point of view, in order to solve this problem, it’s very important to control the informal sectors. In addition, governments’ corporation and legislation will also helpful.

Contents

Introduction ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------1

1.  E-Waste Phenomenon----------------------------------------------------------------1

1. Developed Countries-----------------------------------------------------------2
2. Developing Countries----------------------------------------------------------3

1. Affected regions------------------------------------------------------------------------4        

1. Guiyu-----------------------------------------------------------------------------4
2. Environment Issue        ------------------------------------------------------------5

1. Process of E-waste----------------------------------------------------------------------7

1. Burning---------------------------------------------------------------------------7
2. Pickling---------------------------------------------------------------------------8
3. Dismantling----------------------------------------------------------------------8
4. Circuit boards recycling--------------------------------------------------------9

1. Informal sector---------------------------------------------------------------------------9

1. Cherry picking-------------------------------------------------------------------9
2. Chinese Legislation-------------------------------------------------------------10
3. Guiyu Issue----------------------------------------------------------------------11

1. Solutions---------------------------------------------------------------------------------11

1. Attempts to Control Informal Sectors----------------------------------------11
2. Basel convention----------------------------------------------------------------12
3. Chinese Legislation-------------------------------------------------------------13
4. Provincial Chinese programs--------------------------------------------------13
5. Corporate initiatives------------------------------------------------------------14

1. Conclusion-------------------------------------------------------------------------------14

Introduction

According to a report by the Chinese business, the world's annual 5 tons of e-waste, or the ultimate destination of e-waste is China, china. Journalism. Most of the imports of e-waste are based on China's major ports and surrounding areas. China is one of the major producers and consumers of electronic and electronic equipment in the world. It is also the main destination of waste products. Therefore, the country is making an effort to solve the realistic estimated each year, 20 percent of domestic production of electronic waste together, as a global e-waste main dump of role - a huge environmental, social and economic burden. China's electronic waste is a serious environmental problem. The number of electronic waste (e-waste) is increasing due to the growing economy, such as China and India, the combination of a higher demand for electronic equipment in the western world, a relatively short economic life. While electronic waste from the western world is responsible for a large part of e-waste, the greatest threat comes from other parts of the world, such as India, Thailand and China itself. Therefore, China has to deal with environmental damage and health problems associated with the increased volume of e-waste. Most of these problems arise from the fact that 60% of e-waste is treated in an informal recycling center, with unskilled manual labor.

I. E-Waste

Recently, Electronic waste has become kind of new environment killer, after the industrial age chemical industry, metallurgy, paper making, printing, dyeing and other waste pollution. Electronic products contain large amounts of lead, chromium, mercury, poisonous and harmful material such as brominated flame retardants. Electronic products such as television, computers, mobile phones, audio electronic products, contain a lot of these toxic and harmful substances. In fact, now the damage of electronic waste has emerged. Some places of China have already appeared the high incidence of diseases such as cancer.

A. Developed countries

In the east and west coast of United States, there are some scrap export agent companies, the main business of those companies is to sell electronic wastes that were produced in the United States to those developing countries such as China. Those E-wastes contain large amounts of toxic metals and electronic waste gas. "The combination of strict environmental laws and high labor costs in developed countries is causing more and more e-waste to end up in developing countries." The cost of dealing with those wastes is great high, and the process is very complicated and costly. For U.S. companies, disposing of one ton of the electronic wastes can cost about $400 to $1000 while exporting those wastes will only cost $10 to $40 per ton, therefore, many companies are more willing sell those electronic wastes to scrap export agent.

For those agents, doing this business can make a lot of profit. If possible, they can receive money three times during this process. First, they can charge money from the local companies during collecting the wastes. Next, they sold those wastes to those Asian countries like China, either to the formal collector or informal. Also, can get high subsidies from the government. The federal environmental protection agency has publicly acknowledged that the export is an important part of electronic waste management strategy in the United States. America is a big consumer of electronic products. Each year a large number of electronic wastes are produced at home country, so dumping those wastes to other countries like China becomes necessary. According to The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC), that every year, about 50% to 80% E-wastes of the United State export to Asian countries especially China (Byster, Davis, Dutta, Gutierrez, 2002). Japan is another large country for production of electronic. The government of Japan had stated expressly that the E-waste must be recycled by the original dealers. However, in fact, selling electronic waste to overseas has become a secret channel.

B. Developing countries

From the perspective of developing countries, such as China, disposal of electronic waste can create jobs and recycle valuable metals. China's domestic market is booming. According to my research, China in 2011 was the world's second largest producer of electronic waste and produced 2.3 million tons. The amount is expected to increase as the Chinese economy grows. The demand for electronic products for major home appliances grew exponentially from 1995–2011. In 2011, Chinese consumers purchased a whopping 56.6 million televisions, 58.1 million refrigerators, 53.0 million washing machines, 94.8 million air conditioners and 73.9 million computers, in addition to 250 million mobile phones. In the same year, 3.62 million tons of these same products were discarded domestically in China (John, 2013). The buyers in China, for example, after they contacted and communicated with the sellers in other developed countries, the electronic waste will be imported in the name of the new computer or industrial waste clearance. First, the oversea sellers ship this E-waste to Hong Kong or other port by sea transportation. From Hong Kong, e-waste can be exported to other countries or easily (and legally) moved into Mainland of China., this E-waste will arrive their final destinations by land transportation. In this process, many brokers are Chinese who are well versed in both import and export trade policy.