National Strategy For Electronics Stewardship Will Help Solve The E-Waste Problem

"The release yesterday of the "National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship" by the Obama administration is a meaningful and positive step forward in solving the e-Waste problem", said Willie Cade, CEO of PC Rebuilders & Recyclers, LLC.

"The release yesterday of the "National Strategy for Electronics Stewardship" by the Obama administration is a meaningful and positive step forward in solving the e-Waste problem", said Willie Cade, CEO of PC Rebuilders & Recyclers, LLC. "The strategy clearly shows that the administration spent considerable time and effort listening, digesting and planning. This will prove to be a very successful jobs creation and sustainability or "Green" program." Mr. Cade further remarked that "This is the first comprehensive sustainability strategy in our nation's history."
We are particularly pleased that the President and his staff understood that e-waste is a complex issue that requires careful thought and consideration to implement successfully. To date too many "Green" efforts have focused on a single element of the life cycle and therefore created more problems than it has solved.
The four major goals of the strategy are clear and actionable.
1) Build Incentives for Design of Greener Electronics, and Enhance Science, Research and Technology Development in the United States
2) Ensure that the Federal Government Leads By Example
3) Increase Safe and Effective Management and Handling of Used Electronics in the United States
4) Reduce Harm from US Exports of E-Waste and Improve Safe Handling of Used Electronics in Developing Countries
The administration has also shown it is commitment to the success of this strategy by posting their detailed action plan on line. We plan on monitoring and supporting this work over the next few years.
"I am particularly pleased that the administration will be completing the ratification process to join the Basel Convention", said Mr. Cade. Mr. Cade is the Co-Chair of the "Environmentally Sound Refurbishment/Repair of Used Computing Equipment" for the Partnership for Action on Computing Equipment (PACE) of the Secretariat of the Basel Convention of the United Nations Environmental Program. Mr. Cade is also adjunct Faculty at the University of Illinois Urbana/Champaign and teaches a course on Life Cycle Design of Electronics.