E-Waste in the United States
The evolution of e-waste started with electronics. As technology improved and quality declined, there was a rapid increase in dumping of electronics. What we didn’t realize, or more accurately ignored, was that the toxic chemicals would leach into the soil and have a significant environmental impact. Anyone with a cell phone has most likely had it replaced within the last year (me included). Have you given any thought as to what you would do with your now obsolete phone? Enter e-waste. The United States falls desperately behind other countries on the issue of dealing with e-waste. The Basel Ban was adopted in 1994. The basis of the Ban was to stop illegal dumping of hazardous material, including e-waste, in developing countries. This decision seems like a no brainer. Countries producing toxic chemicals, discarding technologies that use toxic chemicals shouldn’t be allowed to dump their waste in developing countries. Surprisingly the United States along with Canada and Australia still strongly oppose the Ban and its amendments.
(http://www.ban.org/main/about_BAN.html)
E-Waste in Europe
The European Union has taken far more drastic measures to ensure sustainability and deal with electronic waste passing WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment). WEEE restricts the use of certain hazardous substances, increases recycling, limits total quantity of waste in landfills and forcing producers to be responsible for not only making better products but recycling that equipment in environmentally friendly ways. The WEEE effects electronic equipment on the market after July 2006.
Technology - at what price? 
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