The U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) titled *Improving Working Conditions in the Processing of Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (E-Waste).* This RFI aims to gather insights, recommendations, and promising practices to inform future programming focused on improving labor conditions in the global E-waste processing sector. It is important to note that this is not a funding opportunity, and ILAB is not accepting applications. The RFI is for information-gathering purposes only, and participation is voluntary.
ILAB seeks to better understand working conditions in the E-waste processing sector, including activities such as collection, sorting, shredding, recycling, and disposal. The focus includes exploring how these processes are managed globally, the involvement of workers, and the associated health and environmental impacts. The RFI also aims to highlight efforts by governments, businesses, international organizations, and NGOs to ensure safe and decent working conditions, promote fundamental labor rights, and address key issues such as forced labor, child labor, and workplace discrimination.
The document outlines several guiding questions divided into three key themes: understanding the context, identifying promising practices, and exploring opportunities. Respondents are encouraged to provide data, case studies, and recommendations related to the structure and operations of the E-waste sector, regulatory frameworks, examples of effective laws and policies, successful engagement strategies, and pathways for formalizing the sector. ILAB also seeks insights on how the informal nature of E-waste processing contributes to labor exploitation and how such risks can be mitigated.
The RFI emphasizes the importance of identifying opportunities for improving conditions in regions or subsectors where interventions could have the most significant impact. Respondents are also invited to suggest how ILAB might best support efforts to formalize E-waste processing and advance labor rights and decent work.
Responses must be submitted via email to Pilar Velasquez at *velasquez.pilar@dol.gov* by February 24, 2025, at 11:59 PM EDT. Submissions should include the RFI number *RFI-ILAB-25-01* in the subject line and must be sent as Word or PDF documents in a single email not exceeding 45 MB.
ILAB encourages stakeholders, including researchers, policy experts, businesses, worker organizations, and NGOs, to contribute their insights to this initiative. All responses will be used to inform ILAB's future programming on improving working conditions in E-waste processing, but submitting information does not provide any advantage in future funding opportunities.
