Watchdog report says American e-waste is causing a 'hidden tsunami' in Southeast Asia

A report by an environmental group says millions of tons of discarded U.S. electronics are being shipped overseas each month — much of it to Southeast Asian countries not prepared to safely handle hazardous waste. The Seattle-based Basel Action Network found at least 10 American companies exporting used electronics to Asia and the Middle East in what it calls a “hidden tsunami” of e-waste. It says many shipments are mislabeled to evade detection and often end up in countries that have banned such imports. Much of the waste, it warns, is dismantled in unsafe scrapyards where workers are exposed to toxic fumes and chemicals.