Mapping international flows of electronic waste

Bibliographic Data

ID8424136
AuthorsJosh Lepawsky (0000-0002-7022-1568, Memorial University of Newfoundland, corresponding author), Chris Mcnabb (Memorial University of Newfoundland, corresponding author)
Year2010
Volume54
Issue2
Pages177-195
Publication date2010-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCanadian Geographies / Géographies canadiennes (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0008-3658 • E-ISSN: 1541-0064
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/j.1541-0064.2009.00279.x
OpenAlexW1602862435
LanguageEN
Citations received67
References cited78

In this paper, we map the international trade in electronic waste (e‐waste). We quantify the directions and magnitude of this trade at the global scale and examine the utility of the pollution haven hypothesis for explaining the observed trade patterns. Our results demonstrate four key findings: the international trade in e‐waste is a more complex story than being one about ‘rich’ countries dumping waste in ‘poor’ countries; the trade in e‐waste is highly regionalized, with intra‐regional trade accounting for most of the total trade flows; the pollution haven hypothesis is an important, but partial, explanation of observed trade patterns; and there is a need to conceptualize the trade and traffic of e‐waste as open ended and contingent processes facilitated by situated practices of wasting and valuing that rely on geographic difference and mobility for the exchanges between the domains of waste and value to occur

Business · Dumping · Economic geography · Economics · Haven · International economics · International trade · Situated · Computer Science · Extraction and Separation Processes · Microplastics and Plastic Pollution · Recycling and Waste Management Techniques

Tools

Open DOISci-HubOpen Access