Looking for Information

[ewastenz]

I am currently tracking a potential shipment of some 1000 tonnes of e-waste from New Zealand to the Republic of Korea. I have some concerns about the validity of the disposal chain that has been identified.

Companies involved with the disposal state that the export from New Zealand is to a Korean company named DBI Tech Ltd, and that DBI Tech Ltd will direct the stream to specialist processors, named as: Yongnamsuji, Samjingup and LG Niggojeryun.

Web searches fail to provide links or references for any of these companies.

Requests for information from the Korean Environment Ministry, Korean Companies Office, Korean Trade Organisation and others, have had no response.

I am hoping that there are members out there that may be able to contribute some knowledge, or even confirm the existence, of these companies.

[August]

Sorry. - -- I can't help you. But I certainly do hope your quest will be a successful one.

Welcome to the forum.

[include]

Sounds like a really good project mate, best of luck with it

[ewastenz]

following up one good lead from another forum at the moment

[prashamk]

1) Welcome to the forum.

2) You are doing a great job. Keep it up.

3) I suggest you inform the details you've collected to Green Peace. They would surely help. BTW do you have concrete info on the issue. Say pics or documents. Why not pass on the proofs to Korean Press and media. They prove to be very effective in this sort of issues.

[ewastenz]

Thanks for the welcome and your interest

- have posted at Greenpeace forums among others.

The info I have is solid - to be able to source the referenced Korean
companies and confirm that either they are, or are not, environmentally reputable, is what I am looking for.

The e-waste is being collected on the 4th /5th October at 30 locations throughout New Zealand. It is supported by Government funding. The Basel Permit granted to the (nz) company SMT Limited is for the export of lead acid batteries, not e-waste.

The source for the event is eDay 2008

participant is Home - Computer Recycling

There are many inconsistencies & threads of companies and trusts that lead to seemingly invisible Korean companies.

I will continue to gather such further documentation as I can, until next Wednesday - then I will give the documents I have to a National TV Investigative News Journalist.

[prashamk]

I suggest you find some korean chat rooms on yahoo or somewhere else. Befriend a couple of locals. Then ask them for those companies.

[breadloaf]

I have also done a little research into the korean companies and have found nothing, can't find info on SMT Ltd. on any New Zealand search engine.

I am slightly bothered by the fact that someone is getting kiwis to donate all their waste under the banner of saving the environment and then exporting it to Korea where it is recycled and I assume someone is making alot of money from it, otherwise they wouldn't be doing it. Is the money being reinvested in the NZ economy or simply pocketed by the Koreans and SMT? Who owns SMT? Are the organisers of EDay anything to do with SMT? Where can i find info on SMT?

Keep me updated on your progress.

[August]

Pardon me if I am absolutely mistaken here, but it seems to me as if the situation in South Korea is more like the situation in Nigeria, where all you need in order to calling yourself a business man, is really nothing more than a business card with a name, an official title (managing director), an office address, and a phone number printed on it.

[Karl]

Welcome to TES ewastenz, I believe that I already know you from some other forum...

Originally Posted by August

Pardon me if I am absolutely mistaken here, but it seems to me as if the situation in South Korea is more like the situation in Nigeria, where all you need in order to calling yourself a business man, is really nothing more than a business card with a name, an official title (managing director), an office address, and a phone number printed on it.

Don't forget that you also need both a hotmail account and a gmail account (Korea is in Asia, after all). But seriously, what you have described is the requirements for just about anywhere...(except Slovenia, of course)