After reading USA Today’s article called Much Toxic Computer Waste lands in
Third World, it gave me an idea of the dangers of computer waste. Not only do we hurt ourselves by contaminating our waters with the toxicity but we also hurt other countries. Unfortunately, those who recycle are not really one hundred percent recycling. Those who recycle are in third world countries with not a lot of protection for themselves or their own countries. This article mentions how villages in southeastern
China were found to do this. They only receive 1.50 a day. The water there has been polluted to dangerous levels. This is all from “recycled” parts. This has not been noticed and there was a 1989 treaty called the Basel Convention to stop it but it has not been ratified. More computes are along the way and businesses have to pay for recycling older materials. There is no organized way and it goes to other countries. There is a suggestion to include a initial sales price for recycling the material. Here in
California the article mentions that two senators introduced bills.
On the second article by Action Press, it was about the similar example of Guiyu dismantling computes in an unsafe way. The regions of Giuyu and
New Delhi are known to collect silver and gold. Those contaminants can bring about cancer to nervous system damage. It is not good for workers and public health. For
China labor there is a bulletin that talks about the dangers of computer waste and how much we contribute to it. It is hard to remove the possibility of profit for the country’s search for better technology and the people’s need for money. Basel Action Network and Greenpeace hopes to stop these dangers. Migrant workers are helped more thoroughly for there worker rights.
cc:waste is generated globally… by socialroi.com
