Activists Urge Export Ban of Federal Government E-Waste to Developing Countries

Date: March 10, 2011

Source: News Room

Environmental groups are urging the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) to prohibit federal agencies from exporting electronics to developing countries. The White House set up an interagency task force in November, comprised of officials from the CEQ, the General Service Administration and the EPA to develop a "national strategy" for "responsible electronics stewardship," including improvements to federal procedures for managing used electronics. The Electronics TakeBack Coalition recently launched a campaign urging supporters to submit comments to the task force to "do the right thing." The federal government, one of the largest purchasers of electronics, should "lead by example" and adopt a policy that "clearly states that no U.S. government owned e-waste will be exported to developing countries," it said. The task force is scheduled to deliver its recommendations to the Council on Environmental Quality on May 8.

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