With technological and industrial advances in the last two to three decades, e-waste has become the fastest growing waste stream all over first world countries. Because legal waste management is connected with high costs, exports of e-waste to developing countries is rising ever since. Quite often, exporters roam in a legal limbo and will not face any charges at all.

E-waste and the non-professional "recycling" of it in third world countries carries severe health risks and a deep environmental impact as toxins or pollutants are set free that contaminate air and water.

A tougher stance against e-waste exports will also put pressure on the USA, the only industrial nation that has not ratified a treaty to stop the dumping of e-waste on developing countries. 

Although the Basel Convention Ban Amendment has been ratified in 1994/1995, it does not seem to tackle the problem.

We believe that the EEA as an official agency of the European Union has the possibilites to influence  policy-makers to put restrictions on e-waste exports and companies that do not provide a solid system of recycling for their electronic products.