Do you know that when electronic waste is left unattended or when it is not properly destroyed or recycled, cyber criminals may be able to get their hands on critical information from those electronics? They may even be able to extract important financial information that could cost you millions of dollars!
Electronic recycling providers are there for a reason and when you don't use them, hardware and software data destruction is left incomplete and therefore all that data which is not destroyed or recycled completely becomes a lucrative source for valuable information that when harnessed could fetch thousands of dollars to hackers and cyber criminals.
Countries such as the US and other developed nations send out close to 23% of their e-waste to developing countries every year and despite the fact that this act is illegal and that the European Union and other 186 states have ratified the Basel Convention, this continues to be a big problem.
What Does the US Law Say About Ewaste Governance?
Right now there is no federal law in the States that mandates electronic recycling services or forbids companies from exporting this ewaste to developing countries. The district of Columbia and 28 other states in the country have their own electronic data recycling laws and they all vary in approach.
A very common practice among some states is of subcontracting with companies and operating state-wide collection systems while others direct manufacturers to meet a minimum recycling target based on their sales.
It is important to know that exporting ewaste is not ethical or the right practice because it allows waste electronic appliances and hazardous materials to be shipped to developing countries without caring for the repercussions.
