U.S. Toxic Waste Shipments Spark Outrage in Mexico and Canada

An investigation by The Guardian and Quinto Elemento Lab reveals that U.S. companies export over one million tons of hazardous waste annually, primarily to Mexico and Canada, raising significant environmental and health concerns. Since 2018, there has been a 17% increase in these exports, with the Monterrey area in Mexico becoming a focal point due to alarming levels of lead, cadmium, and arsenic detected in residential areas near recycling plants.

The growing practice of shipping toxic waste abroad has led critics to label it “waste colonialism”, asserting that it places undue burdens on less affluent nations lacking robust environmental regulations. In Canada, high arsenic levels have been found in residents living near smelters processing e-waste from the U.S., prompting fears for public health.

Experts argue that U.S. regulations effectively end at the border, transferring the responsibility for environmental impacts to other countries that may not have the infrastructure or oversight to manage hazardous materials safely. This has led to accusations of the U.S. treating neighboring countries as dumping grounds for its toxic waste and neglecting the repercussions of its waste management practices.

As communities in both Mexico and Canada escalate their calls for reform, the push for better environmental protections continues to gain momentum, with environmentalists urging a reevaluation of how the U.S. handles its hazardous byproducts.