CEC hero image, a  photo of Array

Media Release

Reminder: Don’t miss the North American e-waste webcast

Management of hazardous substances, recovery of precious metals and creation of green jobs and businesses among issues to be addressed

Montreal, 8 February 2011—Did you know that some modern electronics like your cell phone have an average useful life of only four years?

Recent estimates show that the number of televisions, computers and monitors reaching the end of their useful lives will total 100 million per year in the United States alone. In Mexico, it is calculated that more than 7 million televisions could be disposed of in the same period, representing more than 160,000 tons of electronic waste, while in Canada, the volume of e-waste could total nearly 80,000 tons.

The challenge is huge. The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) has organized the “Workshop on E-waste Recycling and Refurbishing: Environmentally Sound Management Practices” and invites you to follow the webcast on 15–16 February (2011), starting at 9:00 a.m.

The meeting will foster an exchange of experiences among experts, government officials, and members of the public, to assess the environmental, social and economic challenges and advantages of applying and adopting sustainable e-waste practices. An additional benefit will be to promote the enforcement of environmental laws in the transborder movement of these wastes.

We suggest that you register early to follow the Workshop webcast—which will feature simultaneous interpretation in Spanish, French and English—and submit your questions and comments.

What

Webcast of the “Workshop on E-waste Recycling and Refurbishing: Environmentally Sound Management Practices” and virtual discussion where you may submit questions and comments.

When

Starting at 9:00 a.m. (Central time) on 15–16 February 2011. The preliminary agenda is available online.

You can also ask to be sent an e-mail reminder when the meeting is about to begin.

For further information, contact Marco Antonio Heredia Fragoso at (514) 350-4302, by e-mail at maheredia@cec.org, or visit our website.

About the CEC

The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) was established in 1994 by the governments of Canada, Mexico and the United States through the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation, a parallel environmental agreement to NAFTA. As of 2020, the CEC is recognized and maintained by the Environmental Cooperation Agreement, in parallel with the new Free Trade Agreement of North America. The CEC brings together a wide range of stakeholders, including the general public, Indigenous people, youth, nongovernmental organizations, academia, and the business sector, to seek solutions to protect North America’s shared environment while supporting sustainable development for the benefit of present and future generations

The CEC is governed and funded equally by the Government of Canada through Environment and Climate Change Canada, the Government of the United States of Mexico through the Secretaría de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, and the Government of the United States of America through the Environmental Protection Agency.

About the CEC video