Illegal exports – if you’re not paying attention
Imagine this: You’ve just completed a major IT equipment upgrade. A supplier offers to take the old equipment off your hands and promises it will be disposed of responsibly. It sounds easy and efficient – and you’ve got plenty of other things to deal with, so you say yes without thinking too much about it.
Six months later, a journalist calls. One of your old laptops has turned up at a scrap market in West Africa – with data still on the hard drive. The serial number clearly traces it back to you.
Now it’s no longer about disposal. Now we’re talking GDPR violations, data breaches and a potential scandal that could cost you both trust and customers.
Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated case. The problem of illegal electronic waste exports is growing rapidly.
According to Resource Recycling (May 2025), Malaysian environmental authorities have inspected 179 containers with suspicious contents since January – and 122 of them contained illegal e-waste. That same month, Thai authorities seized 16 containers carrying over 250 tons of hazardous e-waste – including circuit boards and cables – destined for unauthorized recipients.
🔗 Source: Resource Recycling – “Illegal e-scrap imports blocked in Malaysia, Thailand”
🔗 Source: The Star – “Stricter control at ports to curb e-waste dumping in Malaysia”
Not just a local issue
The numbers speak for themselves – and show that this is a global problem:
- According to the UN’s UNEP (2015), between 60 and 90% of all electronic waste is traded illegally or dumped – representing up to USD 19 billion a year.
- In 2022 the world generated 62 million tons of e-waste – but only 22% was properly recycled.
- When waste crosses borders, around 65% of the time it happens without proper controls.
🔗 Source: UNEP – Global E-Waste Monitor
🔗 Source: Eurostat – Waste statistics: Electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
This is where your responsibility begins
Even if you act in good faith, your old IT equipment can still become part of the global e-waste problem – if you’re not clear on who’s handling it and how.
In practice, your used computers, servers, and other devices might end up in containers headed for Asia or Africa, where they are dismantled by hand with no protection whatsoever. That’s neither responsible for people nor for the planet – and it’s a risk you simply can’t ignore anymore.
New rules from 2025: Stricter export requirements
The Basel Convention – which Denmark and all OECD countries are part of – already prohibits the export of hazardous waste (such as e-waste) to non-OECD countries unless a special permit has been granted.
But from January 1, 2025, the rules became even stricter:
Now, all e-waste exports – even those not classified as hazardous – require prior informed consent (PIC) from both the sending and receiving countries.
🔗 Read more: OECD – PIC Procedures 2025
Still, large amounts of electronics are being exported illegally. Often through intermediaries – and with no documentation at all.
What does Inside Systems do differently?
At Inside Systems, we’ve chosen a different path. We are committed to ensuring that used IT equipment is handled properly – with a strong focus on environmental care, security, and transparency.
We have a clear direction for how we support the circular economy and reduce environmental impact – without compromising on quality or data security.
This includes:
- Quality-assured processes built on ISO 9001
- Environmental responsibility integrated into operations in line with ISO 14001
- Compliance with R2v3 principles for responsible ITAD
- Certified data erasure with full documentation
- Serial number-level traceability throughout the entire process
- Partnerships only with approved vendors in OECD countries
- Documentation of whether equipment is reused, recycled, or safely destroyed
What can you do?
It all starts by asking your vendors the right questions:
- What happens to our equipment once you collect it?
- Can you provide documentation and traceability?
- Is it being exported – and if so, where and under what conditions?
- Is the data erasure certified and audited?
By asking the tough questions, your company shows it doesn’t just want to “get rid of” old equipment – but actually takes responsibility for what happens afterward.
Let’s Take Responsibility Together
Illegal e-waste exports are not just a distant issue in faraway countries. It can happen to anyone – even to companies that thought they were doing the right thing.
At Inside Systems, we believe in transparency, accountability and full documentation every step of the way.
That’s the only way to ensure your old IT equipment doesn’t end up in a container bound for Malaysia – but instead is handled with care for both people and the planet.
