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Watchdog Names U.S. E‑Waste Brokers as Report Traces Thousands of Shipments to Malaysia

The report singles out Malaysia as the primary destination, questioning the value of industry certifications.

FILE -Used charging cables and power adapters are piled up at a shop in Nhat Tao market, the largest informal recycling market in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Jan. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
FILE - Thai officials show samples of illegally imported electronic waste from the United States which they said they seized at Bangkok Port during a press conference in Bangkok, Thailand, May 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit), File)
FILE - An e -waste collector uses a cleaver to remove copper wire from a device in Nhat Tao market, the largest informal recycling market in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, Jan. 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

Overview

  • BAN estimates roughly 2,000 containers, about 33,000 metric tons of used electronics, leave U.S. ports each month for countries that have barred such imports.
  • Between January 2023 and February 2025, the ten named brokers collectively exported more than 10,000 containers valued at over $1 billion.
  • Eight of the companies hold R2V3 certifications, which the watchdog says did not prevent exports that appear inconsistent with safe, legal handling.
  • Investigators cite frequent misdeclaration under benign trade codes, noting that most destination countries ban these shipments under the Basel Convention, which the United States has not ratified.
  • Thai and Malaysian authorities reported major seizures and nationwide raids this year, while some companies denied wrongdoing or said they comply with regulations.