Two US lawmakers have introduced a national security bill in Congress to stop flow of e-waste to China as it "regularly counterfeits" electronics and puts these dangerous products back into the market.
Sponsored by Congressman Gene Green and Paul Cook, the Secure E-waste Export and Recycling Act (SEERA) is aimed at ensuring that e-waste does not become source of counterfeit goods that may reenter military and civilian electronics in the US.
"China regularly counterfeits electronics and puts these dangerous products, including critical military equipment, back into the market. These electronic components threaten the reliability and safety of a wide range of technology," Cook alleged yesterday.
"E-waste is the fast growing segment of our domestic waste stream. This problem will continue to grow unless Congress acts to ensure that electronic waste is recycled responsibly in the US and out of the hands of counterfeiters overseas.
"The Secure E-waste Export and Recycling Act will help ensure our servicemen and women have reliable technology to protect our country and create thousands of jobs in Texas and recycling facilities around the country," Green said.
SEERA addresses an issue first identified in a Senate Armed Services Committee study that found 1,800 cases of counterfeit parts in military technology.
The study said "there is no way to predict how well they (counterfeit chips) will perform, how long they will last, and the full impact of failure".
Defence experts have also raised concerns that malware can be placed on counterfeits to help hackers and cyber-terrorists launch attacks.
The two Congressmen said SEERA would stop the flow of e-waste from the US that is "undermining our national security by requiring domestic recycling of all untested, nonworking electronics".
"By keeping these materials in the US, we will keep them out the hands of counterfeiters and data thieves," they said.
Under SEERA, export of tested working equipment will continue and is expected to grow, creating tens of thousands of good-paying jobs for Americans.
Customs and Border Protection would be authorised to inspect shipments of electronic products intended for export and would stop the shipment and hold the shipper accountable.
