Export of computer waste is inadmissible
We consider the export of defective computers and computer equipment for recycling in developing countries to be an extremely harmful practice. Recycling in developing countries often takes place in a completely unacceptable manner. It also frequently involves the use of child labor. It is therefore essential that end-of-life hardware be processed within the Netherlands in accordance with our Dutch environmental standards. Our government in The Hague shares this view. That is why, as of July 2015, WEEELABEX certification has been made mandatory for companies that deal with end-of-life computer hardware.
IT Recycling was one of the first companies to obtain this certification. This means we are authorized to collect computer and technology waste, destroy data, and test and purchase computer hardware.
Unfortunately, we must conclude that—despite the introduction of WEEELABEX and increasingly effective controls—a great deal of computer waste is still being exported. This is being done by companies that clearly prioritize financial gain over their responsibility to the environment and society. Every day, large numbers of containers filled with IT-related waste continue to arrive in developing countries. The consequences for people and the environment are dramatic.
We would even venture to say that a significant portion of the computer waste collected in the country goes straight to the Third World.
