Illegal E-Waste Import Issues and Status in the 2020s - Shanghai Port and Guangdong Province

Illegal E-Waste Import Issues and Status in the 2020s - Shanghai Port and Guangdong Province

### 2011: Illegal e-waste import problem uncovered
In 2011, the illegal export of approximately 300 tons of e-waste from Japan to the Port of Shanghai, China was discovered. The waste contained hazardous substances such as lead, mercury, and cadmium, and was being processed at an unauthorized recycling facility near Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. Strong acid was used in the recycling process, generating toxic gases and waste liquids that contaminated soil and groundwater. This had a serious impact on agriculture and the lives of local residents. Local residents reported a high incidence of skin and respiratory diseases, and environmental protection groups are conducting investigations. Suspicions were raised that some Japanese companies had not complied with waste management standards, and a follow-up investigation was conducted in accordance with international environmental law. In response to this issue, based on the Basel Convention, Japan and China announced their policy to strengthen the monitoring system for illegal imp
orts and exports and to promote proper waste disposal.

### 2020s: Continuing Problems and New Initiatives
In the 2020s, improper disposal of e-waste remains a serious issue. An estimated 400,000 tons of e-waste is imported into China via the port of Shanghai each year, 60% of which is processed in Guangdong Province. These wastes contain toxic substances such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and hexavalent chromium, and a 2023 survey identified several areas around Guangzhou with soil contamination concentrations exceeding twice the safe limit.

Meanwhile, major recyclers China Steel Recycling and international company Hewlett-Packard (HP) have introduced sustainable treatment technologies; HP launched a "closed-loop recycling program" in 2021 and established a facility in Guangdong Province to safely treat 50,000 tons of waste annually.

Monitoring and regulations under the Basel Convention have also been strengthened, and by the late 2020s the number of illegal imports and exports caught dropped by 40% compared to 2015. However, there are still areas that are not well monitored and illegal processing of e-waste remains a hidden problem. In the future, waste traceability systems utilizing AI and IoT are expected to be introduced to visualize the flow of waste and eradicate illegal processing.

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Thus, while improvements have been made since the e-waste problem was uncovered in 2011, many challenges still remain in the 2020s. We must look back at our history and strengthen our efforts in the future.