According  to the United Nations, the growing volume of electronic waste, including mobile phones, laptops, televisions, refrigerators and electrical toys, poses a major threat to the environment and human health.  In 2016, only about 20 percent of all e-waste globally was recycled.  Certain components of electronic products contain materials that are hazardous when not disposed of correctly and can leach lead and other substances into soil and groundwater. Many of these products can be reused, refurbished, or recycled in an environmentally sound manner so that they are less harmful to the ecosystem and reduce the need to extract or manufacture virgin materials to fabricate new products.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) and the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration (Taiwan EPA) have collaborated through the International  Environmental Partnership Exitsince 2011 to build global capacity for the environmentally sound management of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), which is commonly called e-waste. To support this goal, U.S. EPA and Taiwan EPA coordinate the International E-Waste Management Network (IEMN).

Learn more about our work with the International E-Waste Management Network (IEMN):

• 2018 IEMN Workshop
• Related Information Resources

2018 IEMN Workshop

Officials  from 11 countries participate in the 8th International E-Waste Management Workshop in Manila, Philippines in September 2018. Click to enlarge.

On September 24-29, 2018, the U.S. EPA and Taiwan EPA sponsored the 8th International E-Waste Management Network (IEMN) Workshop in Manila, Philippines to increase the implementation of environmentally sound management of electronic waste.  

Government officials from 11 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Tuvalu and Vietnam) enhanced their capacity to: 

• assess downstream markets for e-waste materials;
• understand the opportunities and impacts of major market changes;
• examine the benefits and barriers involved with new processes and technologies;
• identify effective ways of building relationships and working with industry; and
• describe the elements of a facility audit to protect worker health and safety and the environment.

Throughout the workshop, participants identified individual actions to enhance their comprehensive programs for the collection, reuse and recycling of e-waste, as well as, collective and IEMN team actions to achieve our shared mission of increasing the implementation of environmentally sound management of e-waste.   

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Related Information Resources

• International E-Waste Management Network (IEMN) Exit
• U.S. National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship
• Certification programs for electronics recyclers: R2 Solutions and E-Stewards Exit

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Contacts

For additional information on EPA's work on e-waste in Asia, contact:
Justin Harris
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of International and Tribal Affairs (2670R)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20460
E-mail: harris.justin@epa.gov 
(202) 564-6600

Daniel Lee
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of International and Tribal Affairs (2670R)
1200 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20460
E-mail: lee.daniel@epa.gov 
(202) 564-6600