New Jersey company fined for illegal exports

As part of a national effort to crack down on the illegal export of electronic waste, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined a Lakewood, New Jersey company that unlawfully shipped thousands of computer monitors to Hong Kong. EPA fined Supreme Asset Management and Recovery of Lakewood, New Jersey $199,900 for illegally exporting non-working computer monitors to Hong Kong in 2007 and 2008, and for failing to promptly respond to EPA’s requests for information.

Computer monitors contain cathode ray tubes (CRTs), which are the video display components of televisions and computer monitors. The glass in CRTs typically contains enough toxic lead to require managing it as hazardous waste under certain circumstances. Color computer monitors contain an average of four pounds of lead. CRTs may also contain mercury, cadmium and arsenic.

EPA issued the fine under the federal Solid Waste Disposal Act, a part of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, which forbids the export of certain CRTs unless the exporters notify and receive consent from EPA.