Americans replace approximately 400 million units of consumer electronics every year. Of the tiny fraction of e-waste that will be recycled, much will be exported to developing countries where poorly regulated "recycling" centers will crudely break down electronics for valuable minerals inside. In the process tons of toxic chemicals, such as mercury and lead, will be released, endangering the health of workers and the local community. 

Please support the bi-partisan Responsible Electronics Recycling Act of 2011 (H.R.2284 and S.1270) to make it illegal to send toxic e-waste to developing nations.

Please support the bi-partisan Responsible Electronics Recycling Act of 2011 (H.R.2284 and S.1270) to make it illegal to send toxic e-waste to developing nations.

Of the nearly 400 million units of consumer electronics replaced by Americans every year, approximately 14 percent of will be "recycled." But e-waste recycling in the United States usually means exporting electronics to developing countries and what actually happens to the materials and the workers at recycling facilities is poorly regulated and sometimes completely unknown. E-waste recycling internationally is a crude and dangerous industry. Workers often break apart electronics with hammers or even by heating components to melt out valuable material, releasing toxins with little regard to their own health or the environment.

Please support the bi-partisan Responsible Electronics Recycling Act of 2011 (H.R.2284 and S.1270) to make it illegal to send toxic e-waste to developing nations.