The report, approved this year by the federal watchdog, explains that over the past decade, the executive branch has taken steps to improve the management of used federal electronics, mainly because EPA estimates that across the federal government 10,000 computers are discarded each week. Furthermore, the US Government is the world’s largest purchaser of information technology. 

Government agencies generally can donate their reusable electronics to schools; give them to a recycler; exchange them with other federal, state, or local agencies; or sell them through selected public auctions. In addition, there is a voluntary partnership program that encourages federal facilities and agencies to “purchase environmentally friendly electronic products, reduce the impacts of these products during their use, and manage used electronic in an environmentally safe way”. 

Even though the Government has the obligatieon of finding effective disposition methods for electronics, once they are sold or donated, there are challenges associated with not having controls over the ultimate disposition of electronic and making sure purchasers follow end-of-life practices. 

According to the report, when some companies purchase electronics in auctions it creates opportunities for buyers to purchase federal electronics and export them to countries with less stringent environmental and health standards. It’s important to point out that, “currently neither the auction entities nor agencies are required to determine whether purchasers follow environmentally sound end-of-life practices”.

The Government Accountability Office adds that one of the main problems to solve is that of toxic waste, even though 99% of government agencies choose safe disposition, all electronics products may contain toxic substances such as cadmium, lead, and mercury. These materials are hazardous to the environment as well as unsafe to workers. 

GAO recommends, among other things, that the White House Council on Environmental Quality, the Office of Management and Budget, and the General Service Administration take action to require consistent tracking and reporting of used electronics and ensure appropriate management of electronics sold at auction. Finally, each agency concurred with the recommendations but, in some instances, proposed alternatives for executing the recommendations.