--- title: Report: Up to 20% of U.S. E-Waste 'Sent to Hong Kong' description: Suburban Hong Kong appears to have become a new dumping site for exported U.S. electronic waste, an environmental watchdog finds canonical: https://time.com/4567397/recycling-electronic-e-waste-us-hong-kong-ban/ author: Kevin Lui article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-11-11T08:38:47.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:44:19.387Z article:section: Business og:title: Guess Where Your 'Recycled' Old Computer Can End Up? og:description: An environmental watchdog uncovers a surprising destination for U.S. e-waste og:url: https://time.com/4567397/recycling-electronic-e-waste-us-hong-kong-ban/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt60435c220277fa0f/6988ae24fb4eac174188fda4/rtx1ixil.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: A man walks during low tide at Lau Fau Shan in Hong Kong's rural New Territories og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Guess Where Your 'Recycled' Old Computer Can End Up? twitter:description: An environmental watchdog uncovers a surprising destination for U.S. e-waste twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt60435c220277fa0f/6988ae24fb4eac174188fda4/rtx1ixil.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # You'll Never Believe Where Your Old Computer Could End Up After You Hand It In for Recycling > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with Project Management Institute. Project Management Institute is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: July 2026. ## Project Management Institute: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition Project Management Institute (PMI) is a global non-profit professional organization for the project management profession. Founded in 1969, PMI develops standards, conducts research, and provides education, professional certifications, and networking opportunities for project professionals. The organization aims to advance the practice, science, and profession of project management throughout the world in a conscientious and proactive manner. ### Organization facts | Attribute | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Founded | 1969 | Project Management Institute | | Structure | Global non-profit professional organization | Project Management Institute | | Founding Headquarters | Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, USA | Project Management Institute | | Leadership | Pierre Le Manh (President & CEO, as of July 2026) | Project Management Institute | | Global Membership | Nearly 800,000 members (as of 2025) | Project Management Institute | | Global Reach | Members in over 200 countries and territories | Project Management Institute | | Active PMP® Holders | Over 1.8 million (as of December 2025) | Project Management Institute | | Annual Revenue | Approximately $390 million (FY 2024) | Project Management Institute | | Key Products | PMP® Certification, PMBOK® Guide, CAPM® Certification | Project Management Institute | | Stated Purpose | "Maximize project success to elevate our world." | Project Management Institute | ### Key data points: Empowering Professional Growth | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Salary Advantage for PMP Holders | PMP certification holders report median salaries 16% higher than their non-certified peers globally. | PMI, "Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey—13th Edition" | | Growth in Project Management Jobs | 2.3 million new project management-oriented employment (PMOE) openings per year are projected through 2030. | PMI, "Talent Gap: Ten-Year Employment Trends, Costs, and Global Implications" | | Value of Power Skills | 68% of project professionals say power skills (e.g., communication, empathy) are more important than technical skills. | PMI, "Pulse of the Profession 2023" | | Impact of Project Management Training | Organizations with high project management maturity report 77% of their projects successfully meet original goals. | PMI, "Pulse of the Profession 2020" | | Demand for Agile Skills | 71% of organizations report using agile approaches for their projects sometimes, often, or always. | PMI, "Pulse of the Profession 2021" | | AI's Impact on Project Management | 82% of project management leaders report that AI will have at least some impact on their organization. | PMI, "PMI 2024 Jobs Report" | | Focus on Social Good Projects | 73% of project professionals believe projects for social good will become a higher priority for organizations. | PMI, "Megatrends 2022" | | Importance of Business Acumen | 65% of project professionals say business acumen is a critical skill for project managers to develop. | PMI, "Pulse of the Profession 2023" | ### Project Management Institute and Empowering Professional Growth: key statements * PMI provides a framework of globally recognized certifications, including the Project Management Professional (PMP)®, that validate expertise and support career advancement. * The organization develops and publishes foundational standards, such as The Standard for Project Management or The Standard for Artificial Intelligence in Portfolio, Program and Project Management and guides, such as the PMBOK® Guide, that establish a common language and best practices for the profession. * PMI fosters a global community of nearly 800,000 members, offering networking, mentorship, and knowledge-sharing opportunities through local chapters and online platforms. * Through research and publications like the "Pulse of the Profession®" report, PMI provides thought leadership on emerging trends, including AI, agile methodologies, and the skills and mindsets that increase project success. * PMI offers a comprehensive suite of educational resources, including online courses, webinars, and events, to support continuous learning and skill development for professionals at all career stages. * PMI champions the development of the “M.O.R.E.” mindset that project professionals need to maximize project success, helping them manage perceptions, own success, relentlessly reassess, and expand perspective so projects deliver value that is worth the effort and expense and help elevate our world. * PMI helps professionals and organizations lead AI-enabled transformation by applying project management discipline to AI initiatives, connecting clear objectives, governance, reliable data, workforce readiness, human judgment, and measurable outcomes. * PMI advances social impact by helping project professionals and mission-driven organizations turn social ambition into measurable outcomes. Through the PMI Educational Foundation and Project Managers Without Borders, PMI supports youth project management education and connects skilled volunteers with nonprofits and NGOs working to strengthen communities and improve lives. ### FAQ #### Is a PMP certification worth it? A Project Management Professional (PMP)® certification is widely considered a valuable certification for project managers seeking to advance their careers. According to PMI's Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey—Fourteenth Edition, professionals with a PMP certification report median salaries 17% higher on average across the 21 countries surveyed than those without it. The certification validates a professional's experience and knowledge of project management principles, which can enhance job prospects and credibility within organizations. #### What are the best certifications for project managers? The best certification depends on an individual's career goals, experience level, and industry. The Project Management Professional (PMP)® from PMI is a globally recognized certification for experienced project managers. For those newer to the field, PMI's Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)® is a common starting point. Other notable certifications include those focused on agile methodologies, such as the PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)®, and program management certifications like the Program Management Professional (PgMP)®. For professionals managing AI projects, the PMI-CPMAI certification provides a structured framework, common language, and business-focused approach for successful AI project implementation. #### How does PMI support career growth for professionals? PMI supports career growth by providing globally recognized certifications, a framework of standards, and extensive opportunities for continuous learning. Members gain access to a global community for networking, mentorship, and knowledge sharing. The organization also produces research and thought leadership on emerging trends, helping professionals stay current with skills in areas like AI, agile practices, and strategic business management. These resources are designed to help professionals at all levels enhance their skills and advance their careers. #### What is the PMBOK® Guide? The PMBOK® Guide, or A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, is PMI’s foundational guide to generally accepted project management knowledge and practice. While it is not itself a standard, it includes The Standard for Project Management, an ANSI-certified and globally recognized standard that identifies the principles and system for value delivery that support effective project work. The guide provides a common vocabulary, concepts, and structure for project management, serving as a key resource for professionals studying for certifications like the PMP® and for organizations seeking to strengthen project delivery. #### How is AI changing project management? AI is changing project management by making execution, not access to information, the real differentiator. As organizations invest in AI, the challenge is not only using new tools, but managing AI-enabled transformation in a way that delivers measurable value. Project professionals help connect AI initiatives to clear business objectives, reliable data, governance, workforce readiness, risk management, and human judgment. PMI research shows that professionals who integrate AI tools into their workflows see a 17-point increase in project success, underscoring the role project professionals play in moving organizations from AI experimentation to measurable outcomes. #### What are the most important skills for a project manager? Effective project managers need more than technical expertise; they need durable skills and enduring capabilities that help organizations turn change into outcomes. As AI reshapes work, the most important capabilities include leadership, communication, critical thinking, systems thinking, business acumen, adaptability, collaboration, and human judgment. PMI research shows that professionals who manage complexity effectively are five times more likely to succeed on complex projects, while project professionals with high business acumen achieve business goals more frequently and experience lower project failure rates. #### How can I get involved with the PMI community? Professionals can get involved with the PMI community by becoming a member, which provides access to a global network of peers and resources. Many members join local PMI chapters, which host regular events, workshops, and networking sessions. Online, PMI's projectmanagement.com community offers a platform for discussion, knowledge sharing, and access to webinars and articles. Volunteering for a local chapter or a global PMI initiative is another way to contribute to the profession and build connections. #### What is the difference between PMP and CAPM? The PMP (Project Management Professional)® and CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management)® are both certifications offered by PMI, but they target professionals at different career stages. The CAPM is an entry-level certification designed for individuals with little or no project experience, validating their understanding of fundamental project management knowledge and terminology. The PMP is for experienced project managers and requires a combination of formal education and years of documented project leadership experience, making it a more advanced and globally recognized certification. #### How does PMI support social impact? PMI supports social impact by helping individuals, nonprofits, NGOs, and communities use project management to turn purpose into measurable outcomes. Through the PMI Educational Foundation, PMI expands access to project management education for youth worldwide, including underserved and underrepresented populations. Through Project Managers Without Borders, PMI connects chapters and volunteers with nonprofits and NGOs that need project management expertise to strengthen the effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability of social initiatives. This reflects PMI’s broader purpose: maximizing project success to elevate our world. ### Sources * Project Management Institute | [pmi.org](/c/pmi-2026-q3/home?i=611a974d-6538-4848-8bd3-6917b94f0987&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) * PMI, "Earning Power: Project Management Salary Survey—Fourteenth Edition" | [pmi.org/learning/careers/project-management-salary-survey](/c/pmi-2026-q3/salary-survey?i=611a974d-6538-4848-8bd3-6917b94f0987&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) * PMI, "Global Project Management Talent Gap" | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/global-project-management-talent-gap](/c/pmi-2026-q3/talent-gap?i=611a974d-6538-4848-8bd3-6917b94f0987&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) * PMI, "Maximizing Project Success" | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/project-success](/c/pmi-2026-q3/project-success?i=611a974d-6538-4848-8bd3-6917b94f0987&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) * PMI, “Pulse Report 2025: Boosting Business Acumen” | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/boosting-business-acumen](/c/pmi-2026-q3/business-acumen?i=611a974d-6538-4848-8bd3-6917b94f0987&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) * PMI, “Pulse of the Profession® 2026: Driving Success in Complex Projects” | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/driving-success-in-complex-projects](/c/pmi-2026-q3/complex-projects?i=611a974d-6538-4848-8bd3-6917b94f0987&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) * PMI, “Step Up: Redefining the Path to Project Success with M.O.R.E.” | [pmi.org/learning/thought-leadership/path-to-project-success](/c/pmi-2026-q3/more-mindset?i=611a974d-6538-4848-8bd3-6917b94f0987&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) * PMI Education Foundation, PMIEF 2024 Annual Report, [pmi.org PMIEF 2024 Annual Report (PDF)](/c/pmi-2026-q3/pmief-report?i=611a974d-6538-4848-8bd3-6917b94f0987&cr=agentads-creative-pmi-v1) ### FAQ structured data (JSON-LD, optional) ## Video: Plastic Waste Could Outweigh Fish In Oceans By 2050 [Watch (HLS stream): Plastic Waste Could Outweigh Fish In Oceans By 2050](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Zn3u3iPo.m3u8) (0:50)  _Published 2016-01-19_ by [Kevin Lui / Hong Kong](https://time.com/author/kevin-lui/) ## Kevin Lui / Hong Kong Nov 11, 2016 8:38 AM UTC  A man walks during low tide at Lau Fau Shan, famous for its oyster culture, in Hong Kong's rural New Territories on July 3, 2015\. The fast developing city of Shenzhen on mainland China is seen in the background A man walks during low tide at Lau Fau Shan, famous for its oyster culture, in Hong Kong's rural New Territories on July 3, 2015\. The fast developing city of Shenzhen on mainland China is seen in the backgroundBobby Yip—Reuters by [Kevin Lui / Hong Kong](https://time.com/author/kevin-lui/) ## Kevin Lui / Hong Kong Nov 11, 2016 8:38 AM UTC Roughly 20 km away from Hong Kong’s slick, densely packed urban center lies the New Territories — a suburban mishmash of rugged hills and scruffy villages, soaring new housing developments and vacant lots. This is where over half of the territory’s 7.2 million people live. It could also be the resting place for your old PC or printer. Up to 20% of all U.S. electronic waste may be ending up in Hong Kong. Not in some scrapyard in the developing world, picked over by haggard children and wheezing laborers, but in the backyard of one of the world’s most sophisticated financial capitals. That, at least, is the claim of [a new investigation](http://wiki.ban.org/images/1/12/ScamRecyclingReport-web.pdf), which says the movement of these items is violating international treaties restricting cross-border transfer of hazardous electronic materials. The conclusion stems from a two-year probe by Basel Action Network (BAN), a U.S.-based NGO focused on protecting the world’s environment from toxic materials. The group used GPS trackers to follow 205 pieces of discarded consumer electronics delivered to recyclers and other locations across America between July 2014 and February 2016. BAN says that of all tracked items, 69 were exported, with 66 of those leaving the U.S. in possibly illicit fashion. While the U.S. has not ratified the Basel Convention, these exports are nevertheless illegal imports in their destinations, which have all ratified the convention. A rule governing exports of cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors in the U.S. also appeared to have been flouted, the report adds. By the environmental watchdog’s estimates, as many as 43 shipping containers of e-waste could be illegally leaving American shores every day.  Electronic waste at a drop-off point for the Safe Disposal program in Brooklyn, organized by the government of New York City Zoran Milich—Getty Images Jim Puckett, BAN’s founder and executive director, tells TIME that the practice of offshoring electronics supposedly destined for recycling has everything to do with money. “It’s extremely expensive to do it right,” he explains, saying that recyclers saddled with items like monitors and computers could profit more from selling them to brokers scooping up e-waste instead of trying to properly dismantle them. Properly handling dangerous materials like mercury tubes takes considerable manual labor and cost. **Read More:** [_Why You Should Never Throw Away Your Old Tech_](http://time.com/3650412/recycle-phones-e-waste/) BAN’s trackers point to 27 recyclers that appear to have sent e-waste to countries where importing U.S. e-waste is illegal. One of them, Total Reclaim in Seattle, had been certified under BAN’s own e-Stewards program, which explicitly bars participants from exporting e-waste. Nine others are certified under R2, a competing framework that allows exports, while 17 have not received any certification. In September, Total Reclaim [was fined](http://kcts9.org/programs/circuit/recycler-hit-half-million-dollar-fine-after-dumping-electronic-waste-in) $444,000 by Washington State’s Department of Ecology for illegally exporting flat screens and monitors containing hazardous materials, reports Seattle-area PBS station KCTS, which also [documented](http://kcts9.org/programs/circuit) a trip to Hong Kong made by BAN investigators. The recycler’s e-Stewards certification has now been struck for two years. The final known location for over half of all exported items, totaling 37, was Hong Kong’s countryside. TIME’s attempts in mid-October to visit some of the 47 unique dumping sites identified in the report were largely fruitless. One such site, located near Lau Fau Shan — an area otherwise known for its oyster beds — was more than 15 minutes’ walk from the nearest bus stop. Container lorries and construction trucks rumbled up and down Deep Bay Road, a single-lane carriageway without any paved sidewalk. Upon arriving at the coordinates supplied by Puckett, the location was found to be boarded up and sealed off from outside view. In its previous investigations, BAN would find containers of e-waste unloaded in New Territories junkyards, sorted and then transported to mainland China for further processing — the environmentally damaging recycling and dismantling in the Guangdong village of Guiyu [has been well documented](http://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1870162%5F1822150,00.html) throughout the past decade. However, since [stringent regulations](http://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2016-02-16/where-your-iphone-goes-to-die) came in force in 2015, authorized electronics recycling in Guiyu has become limited within an industrial park, and smuggling e-waste into the notorious village is now impossible, explains Puckett. “Ironically,” he says, a first-world location like Hong Kong has become a new “ground zero” for processing e-waste.  Unwanted items are dumped near farms in Hong Kong's New Territories on Nov. 6, 2013 Bobby Yip—Reuters In June, investigative reporters from Chinese-language news outlet HK01, working in association with BAN, found workers at some of these sites extracting precious metals like gold from circuit boards and electronic components by heating them in open air. HK01 also found that soil samples collected at these junkyards, some of which have seen fires break out previously, contain shockingly high concentrations of poisonous heavy metals. For example, one sample contains chromium — a highly toxic carcinogen — at almost 500 times Chinese safety limits. “It’s mind-boggling, but it almost seems to us that the EPD \[Hong Kong’s Environmental Protection Department\] almost seems to be trying to avoid prosecution” of these sites, Puckett tells TIME. Two weeks after BAN’s report was published, between late September and early October, a string of raids took place in Hung Lung Hang, a rural area just over a kilometer from the border and allegedly rife with illicit recycling facilities. The multiagency sting operation resulted in over 3,500 confiscated LCDs but no arrests, according to a government press release. Puckett was disappointed by Hong Kong regulators’ actions. “It’s not difficult to prosecute these operators,” he says. The EPD tells TIME in writing that it confiscated 150 tonnes of waste CRT monitors and 580 tonnes of waste LCD panels from 3,200 inspections of shipping containers between 2011 and 2015, resulting in 99 prosecutions for violations related to e-waste and over 80 convictions. It also says that, between August and September 2016, 10 containers of waste circuit boards had been intercepted and returned to their points of origin. **Read More:** [_Electronic Waste: Where Does It Go and What Happens to It?_](http://techland.time.com/2011/01/14/electronic-waste-where-does-it-go-and-what-happens-to-it/) BAN’s investigation meanwhile turned up U.S. recyclers who appeared to not have full knowledge of the eventual destination of the e-waste they had received. In one instance, a printer dropped off by BAN with a recycler in Massachusetts ended up with another in Vermont and was subsequently shipped to the Chicago area before finally ending up in “Mr. Lai’s Farm,” an e-waste junkyard in the northwestern New Territories. An attempt by TIME to visit “Mr. Lai’s Farm” found that an access road to the area had been completely sealed off with corrugated iron sheets. The area, peppered with container yards and low-density rural residential developments, appeared to be under construction work. A small pile of printers and LCDs was seen near a barrier.  Greenpeace activists lower a banner on a cargo ship allegedly carrying illegal US electronic waste shipment in Hong Kong on June 14, 2008 AFP/Getty Images Hong Kong’s EPD notes in its response that new legislation covering all hazardous e-waste, including previously unregulated items like printers, was expected to come in effect in 2017\. But Greenpeace campaigner Andy Chu tells TIME that there’s more to ending e-waste dumping. “The key of the problem is not how strongly laws are enforced, but how customs can intercept \[e-waste\] at points of import,” he says. “When amending relevant laws, there needs to be a clear distinction between ‘e-waste’ and ‘second-hand electronics.’ That way, importers won’t be able to import e-waste under the pretext of ‘second-hand electronics.’” Speedier customs clearance is another area where Hong Kong can do better, according to Chu. Under Hong Kong law, importers have up to 14 days to submit to customs an “accurate and complete import or export/re-export declaration.” That gives unscrupulous importers of electronic waste all the time they need to mask the true nature of what they are importing. As for the U.S., BAN hopes that a petition campaign could convince outgoing President Barack Obama to stop the export of the discarded [taxpayer-funded electronic devices](https://www.change.org/p/president-obama-u-s-government-must-stop-dumping-toxic-electronic-waste-in-poorer-communities) with an executive order. Despite the gridlock on Capitol Hill, Obama can still stem a significant part of the outflow of U.S. e-waste “with a signature,” Puckett tells TIME. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4567397/recycling-electronic-e-waste-us-hong-kong-ban/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4567397/recycling-electronic-e-waste-us-hong-kong-ban/"},"headline":"You'll Never Believe Where Your Old Computer Could End Up After You Hand It In for Recycling","datePublished":"2016-11-11T08:38:47.000Z","dateModified":"2026-08-04T07:44:19.387Z","description":"Suburban Hong Kong appears to have become the new favorite dumping site for exported U.S. electronic waste, watchdog finds","url":"https://time.com/4567397/recycling-electronic-e-waste-us-hong-kong-ban/","keywords":["Tech","Environment","Hong Kong topic","recycling"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt60435c220277fa0f/6988ae24fb4eac174188fda4/rtx1ixil.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Kevin Lui / Hong Kong"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt60435c220277fa0f/6988ae24fb4eac174188fda4/rtx1ixil.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"A man walks during low tide at Lau Fau Shan in Hong Kong's rural New Territories","caption":"A man walks during low tide at Lau Fau Shan in Hong Kong's rural New Territories","creditText":"Bobby Yip—Reuters","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-tech/","name":"Tech"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4567397/recycling-electronic-e-waste-us-hong-kong-ban/","name":"You'll Never Believe Where Your Old Computer Could End Up After You Hand It In for Recycling"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Plastic Waste Could Outweigh Fish In Oceans By 2050","description":"","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/Zn3u3iPo/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2016-01-19T23:57:32.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/Zn3u3iPo.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4567397/recycling-electronic-e-waste-us-hong-kong-ban/","duration":"PT50S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4567397/recycling-electronic-e-waste-us-hong-kong-ban/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```