Require Mexican Factories Processing Batteries From The U.S. To Meet U.S. Environmental Standards
- da: Judy Molland
- destinatario: Lisa P. Jackson, Director of the Environmental Protection Agency
Increasingly, old batteries from the United States are being sent to Mexico for recycling, but the standards for recycling lead that exist in the U.S. do not exist in Mexico.
In many areas of Mexico, batteries are being dismantled by men wielding hammers, and their lead melted in furnaces whose smokestacks vent to the air outside, where lead particles can settle everywhere from schoolyards to food carts.
The U.S. government could require that Mexican factories processing used batteries from the United States meet U.S. environmental standards and undergo inspections.
We the undersigned,
Are aware the used batteries are often recycled to Mexico because the Environmental Proctection Agency has strict standards on lead pollution, which make domestic recycling more difficult and expensive, but do not prohibit companies from exporting the work and danger to Mexico, where the standards are low and enforcement is lax.
Mexico officials acknowledge that they lack the money, manpower and technical capacity to police a fast-growing industry now operating in many parts of the country, with no restrictions. This is resulting in batteries being dismantled by men wielding hammers, and their lead melted in furnaces whose smokestacks vent to the air outside, where lead particles can settle everywhere from school yards to food carts.
It doesn't have to be like this. We are asking that the EPA requires Mexican factories processing used batteries from the United States meet U.S. environmental standards and undergo inspections.
