Research On American Hazardous Waste Cross-border Transfer Since 1960s

The events of transboundary movements of hazardous waste appear frequently recent years. As one of the main developed countries, the United States constantly input hazardous waste to the developing countries from the 1960 s. International trade in hazardous waste brings serious damage to the imported countries, not only pollutes the ecological environment but also endangers the health of the local residents seriously. What’s more, it effects the sustainable development of local economic. From the perspective of national interests, the essay research the international trade in hazardous waste, analysis the interests of the game between countries which behind the trade and reveal the essence of environmental colonialism.The essay is divided into three parts, the main content is as follows:On the basis of the transfer conditions, transfer mode of hazardous waste of the United States and the mainly imported countries, the first part analyzes the damage of the hazardous waste trade to the ecological environment, the residents’ life and healthy and the power capacity of economic development. Through the analysis of the related environmental policy of the United States, it reflects the fact which economic and political power influences the environment.The second part has chosen three cases: Philadelphia dumps incineration ash to Haiti in the 1980 s, the United States Pepsi dumps plastic bottles to India in the 1990 s and dumps the electronic waste to China at the beginning of the 21 st century. The “Project Return to Sender” of Philadelphia-Haiti is the representative of the early struggle of global environmental justice movement. We can see the essence of the waste trade clearly. The recycling trade of Pepsi’s bottle in India and electronic waste is more complicated. In order to hide its true purpose, as a representative of the developed countries, the America’s waste trade reveals the unequal of economic and political order between the developed countries and the developing countries in new international situation. It gives a strong warning to developing countries on how to better safeguard their own ecological security, political interests and the benign and healthy development of economic.The conclusion, through analyzing the relevant stakeholders which in the process of the waste cross-border transfers, using the theory of international environmental justice, reveals the essence international environmental injustice is environmental colonialism.