A few weeks ago, HR 5799, the Secure E-Waste Export and Recycling Act (SEERA) was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives. SEERA would place export controls on recyclable electronics equipment.
Similar legislation
has been introduced for several Congresses aimed at restricting exports of
electronics. After several failed attempts claiming that most of this material
is actually dumped in developing nations, the focus changed towards a new claim
of limiting exports of a segment of used electronics under the guise of
national security with the goal of preventing counterfeit electronic chips from
entering into sensitive defense systems. However well-meaning, this
legislation will simply have no impact on the counterfeiting of electronic
chips since these chips are available throughout the world and are manufactured
in China where the counterfeiting often occurs. This legislation is simply
another veiled attempt to impose ineffective export restrictions on the
electronics recycling industry to further other political and business
objectives.
SPAN Main