Although EU legislation aims to regulate the proper disposal of electronic and electrical products in the waste stage, according to a report by the European Environment Agency (EEA), the illegal export of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is still increasing year by year. The EU WEEE Directive puts forward strict requirements for the recycling and processing of electronic waste in the EU. Likewise, because such items are generally classified as hazardous materials, it is illegal to export e-waste from EU member states to non-OECD countries. However, although the EU is unable to provide sufficient import and export data of e-waste, there are many indications that a considerable amount of European e-waste is exported to West Africa and Asia disguised as second-hand goods. The report also pointed out that in these countries, electronic waste is usually not recycled and processed in formal ways, which often results in major pollution of the environment and harm to the health of local residents. Therefore, the European Environment Agency insists that the EU has a moral obligation to crack down on the illegal export trade of WEEE disguised as second-hand goods. Even if the illegal transfer of WEEE can be completely eradicated, the legal trade export of used household appliances will continue to indirectly harm the environment and people's health in countries outside the EU. The report further emphasizes that supporting West African and other countries to develop sound recycling systems for environmental and social masks is an important task for the EU. According to an assessment by the European Environment Agency, trade in hazardous waste is expected to increase in the coming years. The EEA requires the EU to pre-emptively regulate waste
