Legislators Warn Apple And Amazon About E-Waste: MPs Say Tech Giants Not Doing Their Part
UK legislators called out Apple and Amazon for being major contributors to the country's accumulating e-waste and not doing their part in dealing with the problem.
Apple and Amazon are popular tech giants with products used by millions of consumers. In the eyes of UK MPs, however, the companies are among the biggest contributors to what is becoming a widespread problem in the United Kingdom. UK legislators recently called out Amazon and Apple for not doing their part about the e-waste that is rapidly accumulating and difficult to dispose of safely.
According to the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), a working group composed of MPs in the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the two tech giants are contributing to the more than 155,000 tons of e-waste that end up in garbage bins every year and are not doing their part about the problem. This e-waste consists of electronic products and components that are simply thrown away by consumers. EAC members, in a report, stated that marketplaces and online retailers should collect e-waste disposed of by consumers by end of 2021. UK legislators also revealed that the UK is way behind other nations as regards the use, re-use, and recycling of small electronic waste.
The MPs are also urging the UK government to require manufacturers to label their electronic and electrical products with the items' expected lifetime. The UK legislators also call for a ban on the practice of some companies, such as Amazon and Apple, of allegedly intentionally shortening their products' lifespan, causing many of such items to end up as e-waste.
The EAC also called on the government to review and perhaps lower the VAT charged on repairs of electronic and electrical products. This is to encourage consumers to have such products repaired instead of getting a new one and throwing the defective product away, thus contributing to the rapidly accumulating e-waste. The committee also called on manufacturers and retailers like Apple and Amazon to make sure the products they make are recyclable and can easily be dismantled by e-waste treatment operators. "For too long companies like Amazon and Apple have been dodging their environmental responsibilities for the products they sell," said Rt Hon Philip Dunne, MP, the Chairman of the Environmental Audit Committee.
"Too many devices sold and made by companies like Amazon and Apple have a limited, and sometimes decreasing, lifespan and end up as e-waste in bins, eventually going to landfill or incineration. There is no chance of precious metals being retrieved, which could quickly become a huge problem as the rare and disappearing materials are crucial for renewable energy such as wind turbines, solar panels, and electric car batteries," Dunne also said. EAC committee members agreed with the assertion of their Chairman, adding that Amazon and Apple should do their part and help deal with the problem of rapidly accumulating e-waste.
In reply to the EAC report calling out Apple and Amazon for not doing their part in dealing with e-waste in the UK, a spokesperson for the Cupertino tech giant expressed surprise and disappointment with the EAC's report. "It does not reflect any of Apple's efforts to conserve resources and protect the planet we all share. There are more options for customers to Trade in, recycle and get safe, quality repairs than ever before, and our latest Apple Watch, iPad, and iPhone lineup all use recycled material across key components," Apple's spokesperson said.