The Truth (And Dangers) of Computer Recycling

Good news: I got my laptop back.  Bad news: It was still broken so I had to ship it back.

Anyhow, on the topic of computers– I wanted to post about this Salon.com article that gives us some insight into computer recycling.  What should be a great and environmentally friendly practice is oftentimes not environmentally healthy, and a dangerous health hazard to many third world workers involved in the practice.

More than 50 percent of our recycled computers are shipped overseas, where their toxic components are polluting poor communities. Meanwhile, U.S. laws are a mess, and industry and Congress are resisting efforts to stem “the effluent of the affluent.”

I’ve blogged about some success stories in recycling (see Recycling Old Cell Phones); however, there seems to be many occasions where these programs do more harm than good.

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