Project Summary

The e-Trash Transparency Project was designed to once and for all get real data to find out what really happens when you drop your old computer, monitor or printer at a charity or at an electronics recycler. BAN started this project in 2014, by placing 200 small GPS-based tracking devices into old printers and monitors and delivered them to Goodwill and to various recyclers around the country and have continued this work in many regions around the globe. Read our reports from these projects and the press releases to find out what we learned.

The Verge

• Video - The dark side of electronic waste recycling

• Article - The dark side of electronic waste recycling

The PBS Video

• PBS - The Circuit, Tracking down America's electronic waste

The MIT Visualization

• MIT Site

Extending the Link Video

• Extending the Link: Luen Hai - Decoding the Connection, 2017

The Gallery

• Basel Action Network Flickr Gallery

Radio

• PBS - Earthfix

• KEXP - Mind over Matters

Other Outlets

• [2019-03-01] La Vanguardia - Varios países UE exportan ilegalmente 350.000 toneladas residuos electrónicos

• [2019-03-01] El Confidencial - Varios países UE exportan ilegalmente 350.000 toneladas residuos electrónicos

• [2019-03-01] El Periódico - Los países de la UE exportan unas 352.500 toneladas al año de residuos electrónicos a países en desarrollo

• [2019-03-01] Europa Press - Los países de la UE exportan unas 352.500 toneladas al año de residuos electrónicos a países en desarrollo

• [2019-03-01] Cadena SER (radio) - África, paradero de nuestra basura electrónica

• [2019-03-01] COPE - Varios países UE exportan ilegalmente 350.000 toneladas residuos electrónicos

• [2019-03-01] La Razón - Basura electrónica: El viaje «sin papeles» de los aparatos electrónicos

• [2019-03-01] Contrainformación - Un informe calcula en 352.474 toneladas por año la exportación de residuos electrónicos de la Unión Europea a países en desarrollo

• [2019-03-01] Paradigma - Informe: Agujeros en la Economía Circular. Fuga de residuos electrónicos desde Europa

• [2019-03-01] Aclima - Basura electrónica: El viaje «sin papeles» de los aparatos electrónicos

• [2019-02-11] Toms Hardware - GPS nascosti per smascherare un traffico illegale di rifiuti elettronici

• [2019-02-11] New Electronics - Illegal electronic waste

• [2019-02-08] Illegal traffic in electronic waste, Costa: Africa can not be our trash bin, proper disposal and proper checks are needed

• [2019-02-08] Traffico illegale di rifiuti elettronici, Costa: "l'Africa non può essere la nostra pattumiera, occorrono smaltimento corretto e opportune verifiche

• [2019-02-08] Nyomkövetőt Kaptak az elektronikus hulladékok

• [2019-02-08] ScrapMonster - Investigation Cites Illegal E-Waste Exports from Europe

• [2019-02-07] Green News - Irish e-waste found dumped in developing countries

• [2019-02-07] Repubblica - Quei nostri rifiuti elettronici che riempiono le pattumiere del mondo

• [2019-02-07] RTE News - Report indicates electronic waste from Ireland and Europe is being dumped in developing countries

• [2019-02-07] E-Scrap News - BAN turns focus to European exports

• [2019-02-07] The Guardian - UK worst offender in Europe for electronic waste exports – report

• [2019-02-07] Recycling Magazine - Basel Action Network releases report an illegal e-waste exports

• [2016-11-11] Time - You’ll Never Believe Where Your Old Computer Could End Up After You Hand It In for Recycling

• [2016-09-20] Vice - A Shocking Amount of E-Waste Recycling Is a Complete Sham

• [2016-09-15] Huffington Post - Even When Recycled, Old Computer Parts End Up Where They Shouldn’t

• [2016-09-02] HeraldNet - Editorial: Hefty fine for electronics ‘recycler’ fits abuse of trust

• [2016-09-02] KCTS 9 - Recycler Hit With Half-Million-Dollar Fine After Dumping E-Waste in Hong Kong

• [2016-09-01] KOMO News - State fines Seattle recycler $444,000 after high-tech sleuthing

• [2016-05-09] Wired - Location Trackers Reveal Where Your E-Junk Really Ends Up

• [2016-05-09] OPB - On The Trail Of America's Dangerous, Dead Electronics

• [2016-05-09] KOMO News - 'They're like little lie detectors:' Seattle company caught sending recycling overseas

• [2016-05-10] Waste360 - A Journey of America’s E-Waste

• [2016-05-10] Recycling Today - BAN finds trouble in its own back yard

• [2016-05-10] The Intercept - GPS Tracking Devices Catch Major U.S. Recyclers Exporting Toxic E-Waste

• [2016-05-11] Xconomy - Investigation Finds Recyclers Ship E-Waste Overseas

• [2016-05-12] WasteDive - Tracking the international journey of the United States' deadly e-waste

• [2016-05-12] Resource Recycling - Industry responds to export report

• [2016-05-16] Popular Mechanics - GPS Tracking Reveals U.S. E-Waste May Be Exported Illegally

• [2016-05-14] Grist - Investigation reveals where our e-waste ends up and it ain’t good

• [2016-05-19] OPB - NW E-Cycle Programs Tested By Electronic Waste Exports

• [2015-05-12] Tages Woche - Hier landet unser Elektroschrott

• [2016-05-23] Huffington Post - The Terrible Truth About How Your Gadgets Die

• [2016-06-02] PRI - The US is still dumping some of its toxic e-waste overseas

• [2016-07-02] SCMP - Turn back the e-waste tide: pressure to stop flood of toxic imports from US to Hong Kong

Chinese Outlets

• 【01獨家】《香港01》美國環團跨國調查 港淪全球電子垃圾崗

• 【01獨家．有片】中港商人電子垃圾堆淘金 香港環境埋單

• 【01獨家】《香港01》美國環團跨國調查 港淪全球電子垃圾崗

Chinese Video

• RTHK - Marine & electronic waste in HK and interview with Christine Loh, acting Secretary for the Environment. The e-waste part starts at 6:14 on the video.

• HK News - 新聞透視 廢物GPS 2016-07-20

Partners

Photo (above): Junkyard full of American computer printers in New Territories, Hong Kong. 

What do I do?

What CAN I do with my old computer or phone or printer etc. when it dies on me. Read more here.

Basel Advocacy

Electronics Stewardship

Green Ship Recycling