turn back the toxic tide The Basel Action Network (BAN) is the world’s only organization We seek a future where, by design, consumption is minimized, ABOUT dedicated to halting toxic trade. BAN is named after the Basel THE VISION Convention, a United Nations treaty designed to prevent the dumping of toxic wastes, particularly on developing countries. To date, 179 countries and the European THE WORK that employ market or legislative forces to stop the unjust dumping of toxic waste on the world’s most vulnerable communities: Our e-Stewardship Our Green Ship Recycling Our advocacy work with Campaign Campaign works both with the United Nations’ Basel promotes responsible our US partners and the Convention and its Ban electronics reuse and global NGO Shipbreaking Amendment seeks to recycling best practices Platform coalition to ensure defend the world’s only worldwide. that the same type of treaty prohibiting toxic stewardship takes place for trade and promote its obsolete, toxics-laden ships. full implementation as international law. THE The Basel Action Network advances global Teenage orphans burning e-waste MISSION environmental health and justice by: to get copper, Accra, Ghana. toxic trade, the practice of externalizing risk PREVENTING and harm to developing countries a toxics-free future by advancing green PROMOTING design and responsible consumption for global environmental justice, the right to a CAMPAIGNING pollution-free environment for everyone. Boys in Lagos, Nigeria, breathing the toxic BAN has pressed the US to agree not to In the USA, 50-80% of e-waste is delivered to Migrant farmer children exposed to toxic e-waste pollution in fumes from burning unusable imported TVs. dump old PCB-laden ships into the sea. “recyclers” is exported to developing countries. imported e-waste processing area near Longtang, China, 2013. BAN’s e-Stewards initiative continues to gain traction in the marketplace. BAN launched a new conducted numerous studies showing the e-Stewards logo in 2012, and the Recyclers passed the 100 facility curtain on one of the most important mark. widespread economic cheating that goes design, consumption, economic and Executive Recycling, the electronics ® recycling company investigated by BAN and CBS’s 60 Minutes. Executive Recycling is convicted in Denver Federal Court for illegal costs up front needed to prevent harm, export and fraud. waste is heated the mercury evaporates BAN declares victory as the US Maritime Administration adopts following the release of BAN report “Dishonorable Disposal”. FROM THE DirecTor warnings, the garment factory owners — not an event— —who can never economy and chart a new course towards — pay the true costs of the negative impacts — — —same as it ten cents per garment to save tens of western standards— in fact, they are creating an even more — E-WASTE IS TOXIC Mercury 50 million metric tons e-Waste contains dangerous amounts of toxic substances, such as— PREVENTING THE Lead and cadmium in circuit EXPORT OF HARM Brominated retrieve copper from Mercury in switches, of the 22% manufacturing processes and products upstream through green design and HEALTH EfFeCTS OF e-WASTE EXposuRe A child taking out the techno-trash near the Alaba market in Lagos, Nigeria. These piles of imported TVs and computers toner circuit cartridges, toner is recovered boards to remove chips and circuit boards Cathode ray tubes (CRTs), when causes respiratory irritation and Computer wire insulation immediate poisoning and damage and plastics chips and other gold plated cause reproductive system components using nitric often comes in contact with Since 2005, the average lifespan of a computer has shrunk from 5 years to 2 years. CREATING e-Waste scrap pile in China. SOLUTIONS CRT mismanagement. Guiyu, China, 2013. An estimated 133,000 computer systems become obsolete in the US every day. An e-Stewards® Recycler, in California processing computer monitors in a safe and responsible manner. Dumped televisions and other e-waste on a Ghana river shore. Computer plastics sorting in Guangzhou, China. Every day, 50 to 100 ocean containers of e-Waste arrive in Hong Kong. e-Stewards Recyclers Face to Face meeting. “I am honored to be both a member of “By creating a network of responsible a part of the very important work being done to help preserve the environment for future generations.” support this global initiative.