September Newsbrief
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Even though it's been an issue for years, the exportation of electronic waste to developing
countries may draw legislation from Congress in 2009.
Environment and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee Chairman Gene Green (D-Texas) and Rep. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.),
a founding member of the Congressional E-waste Working Group introduced a resolution on July 31st (H.Res. 1395)
expressing the opposition of the U.S. House of Representatives to the federal policy allowing toxic electronic
waste exports to developing nations. The resolution also calls for the U.S. to join other developed nations to
ban such trade.
House Resolution 1395
has been met intitially with praise and may garner enough support for governement regulation in 2009.
With reports such as this Greenpeace expose of the effect of e-waste exports to Ghana becoming more common,
momentum has been building in Congress to begin to address the problem. And when paired with the
expected increase in volume of electronic waste from the expanded use of computer products and
the mandated switch to digital televisions in February 2009, Congress is likely to
take action next year.
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