EPA Awards Grant to UN

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded a grant to the United Nations University (UNU) to help reduce the pollution and health problems associated with exporting obsolete electronics to developing countries. The five-year, $2.5 million grant to UNU’s Institute for Sustainability and Peace will help authorities track shipments of North American electronic scrap and provide support to nations in both Africa and Asia that are coping with electronic scrap imports.

“The electronics that improve our everyday lives often end up discarded in developing countries where improper disposal can threaten the health of local people and the environment,” says Michelle DePass, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of International and Tribal Affairs. “EPA recognizes this urgent concern and is committed to working with domestic and international partners, such as UN University’s StEP (Solving the E-Waste Problem) Initiative, to address these issues.”

The grant is part of an EPA-led effort to address electronic waste that includes building capacity in developing countries to stop illegal importation, as well as collecting and disseminating best practices for electronic scrap recycling, reuse and refurbishment.

As part of a program to reduce environmental and health risks, EPA will collaborate with members of the UNU-led StEP on ways to improve the production, recycling and final disposal of electronic products. Objectives under the grant with UNU include:

•         Assessing the routes by which used electronics leave the country and developing better ways to measure the amount of waste.

•         Coordinating international efforts, including research, tracking, data collection, analysis and information sharing.

•         Creating science-based pilot and demonstration projects for e-waste refurbishment and disposal.

•         Developing environmentally sound e-waste management practices and addressing border enforcement issues related to illegal e-waste shipments.