Hello. Our names are Adam, Johannes and Kian. We are currently students in german high school and we want to change something. Having to see all of the environmental damage that has been caused over the years we decided to start a petition on an important problem of international relevance - the false disposal of electronic waste and how it could be fixed by the companies that produce it.

Fifty million metric tonnes of e-waste is generated every year, equalling the weight of nearly 4,500 Eiffel towers. Much of it is incinerated or placed in landfill, causing pollution, human health hazards and the loss of valuable finite resources. According to the United Nations University’s Global e-waste monitor, around 50 million metric tonnes of electronic products are discarded every year. E-waste is the world’s fastest growing waste stream and the amount is estimated to increase to 52.2 million metric tonnes by 2023 unless this trend is reversed. There are several reasons for the increase. The world’s population is growing and economic prosperity reaches more people. Technological development is fast-paced and the price of IT products is dropping, leading to shorter product lifespans. Developed countries continue to contribute most to the problem, but developing countries are rapidly catching up.

The export of e-waste is driven by two main factors: the demand for low priced electronics in the importing countries, and the fact that it is cheaper to export e-waste than to handle it domestically and recycle it in accordance with stricter safety regulations. Western Africa and parts of Asia are common dumping grounds. In these countries, local populations make a living by extracting and selling valuable materials. Products are manually disassembled, burned in the open air or dissolved in acid by local laborers including children, without adequate protective equipment - leading to severe health problems. Electronic products contain a number of toxic substances hazardous to human health, with documented risk to the brain nervous system, lungs and kidneys as well as links to certain cancers. Toxic residues can leak and contaminate the soil, air and water, affecting surrounding ecosystems where the local communities grow their food, hunt and fish. The hazardous substances are also spread to other continents through the air and the sea.

By recycling 100% of all the e-waste that is produced and otherwise shipped overseas, companies will be able to reduce environmental damage and spare human lives.

Having heard all of that you should be aware of what is going on - and why it is imperative to have tech companies recycle their own e-waste. Be a part of something that saves lives and helps the environment by acknowledging the importance of this international problem. Thank you!