OP-ED: San Mateo Co. Should Lead In Efforts To Regulate Electronic Waste, SSF Supe Says

The following open letter was submitted for publication on behalf of San Mateo County Supervisor David J. Canepa who represents the Fifth District, which includes which includes the cities of Daly City, Colma, Brisbane, portions of South San Francisco and San Bruno and the unincorporated Broadmoor Village.

REDWOOD CITY – Wednesday, a San Mateo County Supervisor issued the following statement related to the recycling of electronic waste.

“Silicon Valley is hooked on electronics but shamefully is woefully behind the times when it comes to recycling e-waste. There need to be incentives in place to promote the recycling of e-waste, which is harmful to human health and the environment. We shouldn’t be sending our problems to the Third World where e-waste contaminates water, soil and air. Leadership has emerged in this arena, including in Santa Cruz County, and it’s time for its neighbors to follow that lead,” Supervisor Canepa said.

Supervisor Canepa is looking to advance an ordinance to regulate the recycling of e-waste in San Mateo County.

Supervisor Canepa continued: “Silicon Valley should be in the forefront in all of the world when it comes to protecting the public from its products, especially when their usefulness has come to an end. Standards must be put in place to protect the health and safety of the public, the environment and the workers who handle e-waste. This is our problem and it’s a problem than can be fixed through collaboration. I look forward to advancing this initiative in San Mateo County not only to protect our own residents but the residents in other nations who are paid very little to clean up our hazardous waste.”

To learn more about the problem, Supervisor Canepa recommends viewing a “60 Minutes” program on the topic, which is embedded below:

What do YOU think should be done to address e-waste in the community? Let us know in the comments below!

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