Where That 'Recycled' E-Waste Really Goes

by Stephen Leahy

UXBRIDGE, Canada - Is your old TV poisoning a child in China? Or your old computer contaminating a river in Nigeria?

A small group of people have now allied with a few responsible recyclers to ensure e-waste can be treated responsibly by creating an e-Stewards certification programme. Announced this week, e-Stewards are electronics waste recyclers that are fully accredited and certified by an independent third party.

Such accreditation is crucial in an industry that often makes fraudulent claims. Currently even when e-waste (electronic trash) goes to a "green" recycler, the chances are high that toxic stuff from the developed world ended up in a huge pile in the middle of some village.