Political Economy of Transboundary Movements of E-Waste: Maximizing Efficiency and Minimizing Risks

E-waste is traded between developed-developing and between technologically advanced developing-developing countries. The push and pull factors are influencing import and export demand of e-waste. The ‘Basel Ban’ signatory both developed and developing countries are lax in ‘Ban’ enforcement as the transboundary movement of ewaste is a complementary need for them. The harmful effects of hazardous e-waste don’t differ either it is exported from technologically advanced developing to developing countries as compared to exporting from developed to developing countries. However, the ‘Ban’ halts transboundary movements of waste only from developed to developing countries which indicate ‘Basel Ban’ needs further amendment. The normative theory of environmental regulation may work to maximize welfare and minimize negative impacts for the marginalized poor handling e-waste in recipient countries if the exporting countries spend the gained amount for the recipients. The features of international trade in e-waste between developed-developing and between technologically advanced developing-developing countries fit well into the ‘race to the bottom (RTB)’ theory. There are social, cultural and economic characteristics (livelihoods) of the marginalized poor processing e-waste that motivate recipient countries importing e-waste. Imposing pollution and/or hazard export charges for exporting countries payable to recipients may improve the state of transboundary movement of e-waste. The findings also propose for the further amendment of ‘Basel Ban’ considering recipient country specific social, economic and environmental requirements.