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I'm familiar with the industry. Everyone involved knows that you don't move so much as a mobile phone's worth of lithium without following a procedure. In my ex

by mabcat 5y ago

I'm familiar with the industry. Everyone involved knows that you don't move so much as a mobile phone's worth of lithium without following a procedure. In my experience small violations are wilful laziness, large violations are to avoid the signficant costs involved with dangerous goods documentation, packaging, and handling. This container didn't get onto the truck without several people deciding not to do things they're trained and certified to do.

throwaway0a5e 5y ago
>. Everyone involved knows that you don't move so much as a mobile phone's worth of lithium without following a procedure. In my experience small violations are wilful laziness, large violations are to avoid the signficant costs involved with dangerous goods documentation, packaging, and handling. This container didn't get onto the truck without several people deciding not to do things they're trained and certified to do. Sure, ok <rolls eyes>. Everyone who has experience in any industry knows that things get sloppier as you go down market. And it doesn't really get any lower than recycling/scrap. From my experience in industrial recycling (not consumer electronics) I'd bet those "several people not doing their jobs" are all one administrative assistant that fills out all the paperwork the same way every time unless told otherwise.
- hermitdev 5y ago
  > From my experience in industrial recycling (not consumer electronics) I'd bet those "several people not doing their jobs" are all one administrative assistant that fills out all the paperwork the same way every time unless told otherwise. If you're aware of such transgressions and haven't said or done anything about it, you're part of the problem. Whistleblowers get legal protection, and a number of US TLAs involved in regulation enforcement do give bonuses, sometimes as a percentage of fines successfully imposed on the offenders. I know SEC gives such bonuses, I'd wager EPA, NHTSB, OSHA and others may do as well for illegal transportation of hazardous materials.
- throwawayboise 5y ago
  Scrap and waste disposal is also a market with a large amount of organized crime involvement. Chance are the shipping company has already disappeared, to be reopened under another name and registration soon. They can move faster than the regulators can follow them.
quartesixte 5y ago
As someone else who tangentially operates in this space (and formerly directly), I can concur. It might sound strange to those unfamiliar, but the “low level admins” who fill out the DG Declarations do for the most part, in my experience, take this part of the job very seriously. Along with entire chain going all the way up to loadmasters, CBP agents, pilots, etc who do final checks on all this. A lot of people lied and heads will definitely now roll.

by mabcat 5y ago

throwaway0a5e 5y ago

>. Everyone involved knows that you don't move so much as a mobile phone's worth of lithium without following a procedure. In my experience small violations are wilful laziness, large violations are to avoid the signficant costs involved with dangerous goods documentation, packaging, and handling. This container didn't get onto the truck without several people deciding not to do things they're trained and certified to do. Sure, ok <rolls eyes>. Everyone who has experience in any industry knows that things get sloppier as you go down market. And it doesn't really get any lower than recycling/scrap. From my experience in industrial recycling (not consumer electronics) I'd bet those "several people not doing their jobs" are all one administrative assistant that fills out all the paperwork the same way every time unless told otherwise.

hermitdev 5y ago
> From my experience in industrial recycling (not consumer electronics) I'd bet those "several people not doing their jobs" are all one administrative assistant that fills out all the paperwork the same way every time unless told otherwise. If you're aware of such transgressions and haven't said or done anything about it, you're part of the problem. Whistleblowers get legal protection, and a number of US TLAs involved in regulation enforcement do give bonuses, sometimes as a percentage of fines successfully imposed on the offenders. I know SEC gives such bonuses, I'd wager EPA, NHTSB, OSHA and others may do as well for illegal transportation of hazardous materials.
throwawayboise 5y ago
Scrap and waste disposal is also a market with a large amount of organized crime involvement. Chance are the shipping company has already disappeared, to be reopened under another name and registration soon. They can move faster than the regulators can follow them.

quartesixte 5y ago

As someone else who tangentially operates in this space (and formerly directly), I can concur. It might sound strange to those unfamiliar, but the “low level admins” who fill out the DG Declarations do for the most part, in my experience, take this part of the job very seriously. Along with entire chain going all the way up to loadmasters, CBP agents, pilots, etc who do final checks on all this. A lot of people lied and heads will definitely now roll.